Member News
By Tony Grew - 31st March 2011
Veterinary associations have pledged to help the government tackle some serious cases of TB fraud that have come to light.
In a written ministerial statementissued today, farming minister Jim Paice revealed he has received evidence that "a small number of farmers have been illegally swapping cattle eartags in order to retain highly productive TB reactors".
Paice said only "a very small minority of farmers in the south west and Midlands have been illegally swapping cattle eartags to retain TB test positive animals in their herds and sending other less productive animals to slaughter in their place".
He warned action is being taken immediately, and cheats will be identified and prosecuted.
Paice said from mid-April DNA tags will be applied immediately to cattle that test positive for TB.
"This quick action is only possible because of the commitment and support of the veterinary profession, for which I am grateful," he said.
"Animal Health will then cross check, on a random sample basis and where there is any suspicion of eartag tampering, the DNA of TB test positive animals against the DNA of animals sent to slaughter."
The British Veterinary Association and British Cattle Veterinary Association have both backed Paice's tough stance and pledged the practical support of their members.
"This fraudulent activity by a small number of farmers is shocking," Harvey Locke, president of the BVA said.
"Worryingly it puts the national TB eradication strategies at risk and urgent action is required to prevent it happening in the future.
"The BVA and BCVA, in supporting Animal Health, are asking our members to insert the new DNA tags and collect the tissue samples of cattle that test positive for TB at the time of the test for no additional fee for a period of six months.
"The minister has acknowledged that these emergency measures would not be possible without the commitment and support of the veterinary profession."
BCVA president John Fishwick said the "selfish actions of a small minority of farmers" are undermining the hard work and integrity of the vast majority and undermining efforts to control TB in cattle.
Article Comments
They are not microchipped by law in my opinion for several reasons -nothing happens for free , as you said- While it is used for dogs and cats. Identifying cattle with microchips is not worth it:
It is much more expensive. Production animals are meant to be cost-effective.
It is less practical everytime you want to identify the animal , and more stressful for the cattle cause you need a machine to read it. With the actual system you just need your eyes as instrument
Chips are sometimes not readable even when they are properly inserted in the animal. This would lead to problems like in the abbattoir , in ante-mortem inspection.
It is more sensible to fraud: you can just take it away from the place it is inserted with a incision in the skin, i've seen it in dogs
cesar
17th Apr 2011 at 4:31 pm
Nothing happens for free - someone somewhere will pay for these tests. Why aren't all cattle microchipped at birth by law?
a jones
9th Apr 2011 at 7:52 am
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