England

In England, cattle herds in the High Risk Area (HRA) are subject to six-monthly surveillance testing by default, unless they satisfy certain conditions to remain on annual surveillance testing (so called ‘earned recognition’). Read the guidance on six-monthly testing in the HRA to find out more.

In the Edge Area, cattle herds in higher incidence parts are routinely tested every six-months. Herds in lower incidence parts are tested annually, supplemented by radial testing around TB breakdowns with lesion and/or culture positive animals.

Cattle herds in the Low Risk Area (LRA) are routinely tested every four years. However, there are instances when more frequent surveillance is required if:

• herds are located within three kilometres radius of a new lesion or PCR/culture positive TB breakdown herd or a TB Hotspot or an Enhanced Surveillance Area. This might be every six months, annually or every two years. Read the Low Risk Area TB hotspots section to find out more
• herds considered to be at higher risk of getting infected or spread TB e.g. cattle dealer herds, or for public health reasons i.e. sell raw drinking milk or city or open farms.