CHANGES to the control measures and compensation arrangements for bovine TB in Scotland came into force this week.

ScotGov said that the changes were intended to ensure that TB controls in Scotland both 'incentivise compliance' with the rules and encourage cattle keepers to follow best practice when purchasing and moving cattle throughout Scotland and beyond.

The key changes are:

  • Post movement testing – animals which require to be post movement tested following their arrival in Scotland will now need to be held on the original premises of destination until this testing has been completed with negative results;
  • Non-payment of compensation for illegal movements onto restricted herds – compensation will now be resticted to a nominal payment of £1 for any animals which are found to have been illegally moved onto a restricted herd and subsequently go onto become TB reactors;
  • Reduced compensation following overdue testing – compensation will now be reduced where any statutory TB testing has not been carried out within the alloted testing period advised by the APHA and TB reactors are subsequently identified. The reduction will be applied on a sliding scale where testing has gone overdue by 60 days or more;
  • Introduction of a two-tier cap on compensation for individual animals – a maximum amount of compensation payable for each individual TB reactor has now been introduced. This cap has been set at £7500 for all pure bred pedigree bovine animals, and £5000 for all other non-pedigree bovine animals;
  • Prohibition on testing of bovine animals – the prohibition on testing bovine animals for TB without written consent has now been extended to include any type of diagnostic test for tuberculosis.

Commenting on the changes, Rural Economy Secretary Fergus Ewing said: “The Scottish Government is committed to a comprehensive, practical and proportionate programme of actions that will help maintain the current low levels of TB found in Scotland and to safeguard our Officially TB Free status.

“The measures introduced today are intended to incentivise compliance and encourage cattle keepers to follow best practice when purchasing and moving cattle in Scotland and beyond," said Mr Ewing.

“I have always been clear that there is no single measure for eradicating bovine TB, which is why we have pursued a range of interventions to combat the disease. These latest arrangements are aimed at reducing disease levels further, but this will only be successful if this new drive is supported by a concerted and concentrated effort by all sectors involved."