Bovine TB: contiguous testing

A contiguous test is an additional surveillance herd skin test required for herds neighbouring, or near to a TB breakdown.

Farms near to a TB breakdown are known to be at higher risk than farms further away. Bovine TB can be transmitted locally in the following ways:

• directly via nose-to-nose cattle contact over a boundary
• via infected local wildlife with access to feed, or minerals
• via drinking from water courses to which cattle from other herds, or wildlife have access, or from wildlife accessible water troughs
• via the airborne route through the spreading of manure and slurry from an infected farm

It is important to identify TB in a herd as soon after infection as possible, in order to minimise spread of the disease to other animals in the herd. 

This testing is scheduled for herds:

• immediately adjacent to a breakdown herd; or
• separated by a small river or road; or
• less than 1km away from the breakdown herd, but separated by an unstocked parcel of land, or woodland, or suitable habitat for badgers or deer.

The timing of the contiguous test will depend on the date of the most recent test in the herd. It is scheduled as follows:

• Iif the last negative tuberculin test was four months ago or longer, a contiguous test is scheduled, straight away. There is a two-month window to complete the test
• if the last negative tuberculin test was carried out less than four months ago, the contiguous test date is delayed. However, it must be completed within six months from the start date of the last clear herd test. The window to complete the test opens two months earlier than the last completion date.