Consultation on Tuberculosis (TB) animal disease controls for deer and camelids.

Overview

This consultation sets out the Government’s proposals for consolidating the provisions of the GB-wide Tuberculosis (Deer) Orders in England. These Orders have already been revoked in Wales by Tuberculosis (Wales) Order S.I. 2011/692. Scottish Government’s intention for these Orders is to revoke and replace these Orders in due course. They comprise:

• The Tuberculosis (Deer) Order 1989 SI 1989 No 878 www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/1989/878/article/9/made
• The Tuberculosis (Deer) Notice of Intended Slaughterand Compensation Order 1989 SI 1989 No 1316 www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/1989/1316/contents/made  and
• The Tuberculosis (Deer) (Amendment) Order 1993 SI 1993 No 2010 www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/1993/2010/contents/made

This consolidation also provides an opportunity to look across the piece in England at tuberculosis (TB) regulation of non-bovine animals generally (particularly goats, pigs and sheep). We have concluded that the current approach to the disease in non-bovines is proportionate, but we will continue to keep the situation under close review. Nevertheless, this consolidation of the three Deer Orders in England does create an opportunity to introduce a statutory TB compensation scheme for camelids(in particular alpacas and llamas) and other statutory measures similar to those that already apply to deer. This proposal for a statutory compensation scheme replaces the present non-statutory TB payment where keepers agree to hand over reactors for slaughter in return for Government TB testing their animals.

This consultation on a statutory compensation scheme for camelids is also an opportunity to consult widely on proposals for improved testing of these animals in TB breakdown situations.

Why your views matter

English deer farmers and their vets have to consult three separate Orders to understand what they need to do when TB affects a deer herd. This proposal consolidates these Orders into one document without making any substantive change to the present arrangements.

The non-statutory slaughter arrangements with payment made to camelid keepers to remove animals suspected to be infected with TB was introduced in 2008 as a temporary measure. There is an ongoing need to remove animals suspected of having TB in order to prevent the spread of this disease that can devastate small businesses. This consolidation of the deer Orders provides an opportunity to establish statutory compensation and to introduce other measures where camelids are tested positive or suspected of TB.

Research has shown that the tuberculin skin test used on camelids is only moderately successful in detecting animals infected with the bovine TB bacterium M.bovis, but that sensitivity of detection of the bacterium can be dramatically increased (to approximately 80 percent by using a combination of two antibody (blood) tests in parallel interpretation It is proposed to introduce administrative changes in the testing regime of TB-infected camelid herds and other at-risk herds to reflect this new situation.

Please complete the on-line survey or e-mail a response to btbengage@defra.gsi.gov.uk. Alternatively please print off and complete the response form at Annex B of the consultation document and send to Defra at the address provided.

If you do not want your response published please indicate in the appropriate section of the survey or tick the box in the Annex B response form. If replying by e-mail please be explicit in your message.