TB Herd Derestriction

Is herd testing the only requirement for derestriction?

No there are several requirements for derestriction. For example, any required Cleansing and disinfection must have been carried out before the herd is eligible for derestriction, and any queries regarding missing or non-presented animals at tests must be resolved.

What about cleansing and disinfection?

All breakdown herds must satisfactorily complete all required cleansing and disinfection before they are eligible to be derestricted.

M. bovis can survive in the environment so you will have to thoroughly clean and disinfect all places (other than fields) where you have kept reactor cattle and all equipment and tools you have used with them. This should kill the bacterium and help prevent the disease spreading to the other cattle in your herd. You should use an approved disinfectant that has been tested for use against TB.

At the start of the breakdown you will receive a notice, BT33, telling you what cleansing and disinfection you should do. This will depend on your own farm’s circumstances. A list of approved disinfectants showing the appropriate dilution rate that will kill TB is also provided.

By law, you must carry out the cleansing and disinfection set out in a BT33 notice, but you can employ contractors to do the work if you want to. You should contact the DVO as soon as possible after you have finished the required cleansing and disinfection so it can be inspected. Restrictions cannot be removed from your herd until this process is completed.

After derestriction how soon can I go back to annual testing?

After derestriction your next herd test will be set with a due date of 6 months in the future.

If the breakdown was unconfirmed (OTS) then 1 test (a CHT) is required 5-6 months after the clear RH1 test, to check that no infection remains and to make sure that any original cause of infection has not resulted in the infection of more animals in your herd.

If the breakdown herd had an OTW status, then two clear tests at 6 month intervals (CH1 and CH2) are required before a herd can return to annual testing.

When restrictions are removed from a herd, can animals be moved freely immediately?

Yes - as soon as restrictions have been removed in writing. When a herd has undergone a series of tests and has fulfilled all other requirements including cleansing and disinfection, a notice is sent to the herd keeper advising him that restrictions are withdrawn from the herd (notice BT26).

Similarly, any individual animal(s) under restriction may also move freely once the restriction has been removed from that animal(s) and the herd-keeper has received written confirmation that restrictions have been withdrawn.