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Guidance

What happens if TB is identified in your herd in Scotland and Wales

Guidance for cattle keepers in Scotland and Wales on what happens if TB is identified or suspected in their herd.

Updates to this page

From:
Animal and Plant Health Agency
Published:
1 April 2014
Last updated:
27 October 2025
Show all updates

  1. Updated the 'Dealing with TB in your herd: what to do if bovine TB is detected in your herd in Wales' page to include information on the resolved standard inconclusive reactors (IR) policy which will be introduced in Wales from 1 January 2026.

  2. Updated the form TB211 on the English and Welsh pages.

  3. Provided more information about delayed removal of TB reactors in Wales to allow for calving.

  4. Content updated to reflect the changes to the general licence TB24c for movements of TB restricted cattle to slaughter in GB directly or via approved TB slaughter gatherings in England and Wales.

  5. Welsh translation updated for attachment 'Delio â TB yn eich buches: beth i'w wneud os canfyddir TB buchol yn eich buches yng Nghymru' to reflect latest updates in English version.

  6. Guidance updated as Action Plans are no longer in use in Wales although enhanced control measures are still applied and also added about agreed delays to reactor removal.

  7. This guidance has been updated as a result of the extension of the use of the TB PCR test to all post-mortem samples from bovine animals on 14 February 2024.

  8. This guidance has been updated due to legislative changes in Wales on 1 February 2024.

  9. Updated the guidance 'Dealing with TB in your herd: what to do if bovine TB is detected in your herd in Wales'. Updated information about movement to approved finishing units and movement through a dedicated sale for TB restricted cattle.

  10. Because of legislative changes in Scotland on 18 May 2023, the Scotland guidance has been updated. The sections which have changed are: If you have TB positive (reactor) animals, how your compensation is calculated, removal and slaughter of reactors by APHA, movements to TB restricted and approved facilities in England. The section on removal and slaughter of reactors by private arrangement has been removed.

  11. Updated 'dealing with TB in your herd: what to do if bovine TB is detected in your herd in Wales'. The sections with changes are: If your herd has a TB breakdown; Officially TB free status suspended (OTFS); Officially TB free status withdrawn (OTFW); Post-mortem examination of reactor cattle; IRs identified in non-breakdown herds; Short interval tests; Interferon gamma and IDEXX antibody tests for M.bovis; Testing after the removal of restrictions; Movement to approved TB isolation units.

  12. The guidance 'Dealing with TB in your herd: what to do if bovine TB is detected in your herd in Scotland' has been updated throughout. The PDF 'Dealing with TB in your herd: what happens if TB is identified in your herd (Scotland)' has been removed. It's been replaced with an accessible HTML attachment.

  13. Updated Welsh language version of the Wales guidance.

  14. Wales guidance updated. Changes to Wales policies on ‘officially TB free status withdrawn (OTFW)’ and on ‘inconclusive reactors (IRs)’ apply from 17 January 2022.

  15. The PDF 'Dealing with TB in your herd: what happens if TB is identified in your herd (Wales)' has been replaced with the HTML document 'Dealing with TB in your herd: what to do if bovine TB is detected in your herd in Wales'.

  16. Updated Wales document - compensation section

  17. Wales documents updated in relation to OTFW Wales policy change due to come into force from the 1 January 2016.

  18. PDF document on guidance for cattle keepers in England has been archived and link added to new guidance.

  19. England - paragraph added about compensation for animals in AFUs and EFUs

  20. First published.

Applies to Scotland and Wales

Documents

Dealing with TB in your herd: what to do if bovine TB is detected in your herd in Scotland

HTML

Dealing with TB in your herd: what to do if bovine TB is detected in your herd in Wales

HTML

Keeper declaration form for delayed removal in Wales to allow for calving (TB212(W))

ODT, 51.9 KB

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Veterinary Declaration form for delayed removal in Wales to allow for calving (TB211(W))

ODT, 58.6 KB

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Veterinary pregnancy diagnosis declaration form (TR531)

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Details

All cattle herds are classed as officially TB free (OTF) if their tuberculosis (TB) tests are up to date and there is no suspicion of TB infection. If TB is suspected, then cattle are put under restrictions and the OTF status is suspended.

A veterinary officer or inspector from the Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) will complete a disease investigation to:

  • assess the TB breakdown and its possible origin
  • implement control measures to prevent the spread to other herds

The documents explain in detail what happens if bovine TB is identified or suspected in a cattle herd. There’s information on:

  • investigation of the TB breakdown
  • reactor animals
  • dealing with milk from reactors
  • valuation, slaughter and compensation
  • inconclusive reactors
  • withdrawal of officially TB free status
  • cleansing and disinfection
  • disposal of slurry and manure
  • testing during a breakdown
  • cattle movements on and off restricted holdings

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