Precautionary Measures: How You Can Help Prevent Disease Outbreaks.
Cattle Related Measures
bTB is mainly passed on through inhalation of bacteria, expelled from infected animals via exhalations/coughs. To aid outbreak prevention you should try to prevent contact between your cattle and those on neighbouring farms, also ensuring as best you can that cattle coming on to your farm are healthy. On top of following the legislations, we suggest you:
use sound fencing to prevent nose-to-nose contact with other cattle;
place barriers in gateways to stop contact with passing cattle;
avoid common grazings; if you have to use them ask for skin tests to be synchronised;
consider moving to a closed herd system;
wherever possible, breed your own replacements;
consider having your vet carry out a private
TB test on a newly established herd. (This will have to be agreed with the local
DVM);
keep contact-reared cattle away from your herd;
keep over-winter housing well ventilated and dry; and
tell your neighbours if you have a
TB breakdown, that way they might tell you in turn and enable you to take precautions.
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Wildlife Related Measures
Wildlife, and in particular badgers, may be a significant source of TB infection for cattle, however, there is no evidence yet to suggest that badgers are a reservoir for the disease in Scotland. It makes sense though to minimise direct contact between cattle and badgers, and contact between cattle and places where badgers live or may have left saliva, urine or faeces. We suggest you:
walk your farm to identify areas which badgers use;
keep wildlife out of buildings, especially feed stores and cattle housing;
raise feed and water troughs so that their lips are at least 80cm (30 in) off the ground;
ensure molasses feed blocks are raised off the ground out of reach; they are a favourite food of badgers;
fence off the areas around setts to keep cattle out while allowing badgers free access;
consider fencing off any clusters of badger dung pits that may be on your land;
avoid grass from badger latrines and field margins when cutting silage; and
dispose safely of badger corpses found on your farm using a face mask and gloves.
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