The latest bovine TB statistics released by Defra on Wednesday (16th January) show a drop in incidences of bovine TB in the UK, though a marginal rise from August levels.

The provisional statistics showed that, in October 2012, incidence rate for bTB was 5.3 percent, compared to 5.6 percent a year earlier and 5.1 percent in August. Defra said "care needs to be taken not to read too much into short term figures, especially as this figure includes a number of unclassified incidents," meaning figures could change pending further test results and revisions.

Defra statistics revealed that, although the number of new herd incidents during the period January to October 2012 was 4,188 compared to 3,983 for January to October 2011 (a 4.9 percent increase), the number of tests carried out on officially TB free herds was much higher at 60,218 in January to October 2012, compared to 50,954 in January to October 2011 (an increase of 15 percent).

The number of cattle compulsorily slaughtered as reactors or direct contacts was 31,146 in January to October 2012, compared to 27,788 in January to October 2011.

At the beginning of the month, new regulations governing cattle movements and testing came into force in the UK. From 1st January, TB are determined on a county basis rather than by parish and the UK has been split into two areas; one in the South and West (and East Sussex), where tests will be carried out annually, and one covering the rest of the South East and the North of England, where testing will take place every four years.

Individual high risk cattle herds in the four-yearly testing area of England will continue to be tested for TB every year as currently.