About Bovine TB
TB Breakdown
Testing & movements
Practical Guidance
Non-Bovines
Wildlife
Resources
When you need a licence, you must complete a TB204 application form and return it to APHA as detailed on the form.
APHA need a minimum of five working days to process licence requests, and this can increase during busy periods. It is important to provide as much notice as possible when applying for a licence.
Applications for moving animals to a dedicated TB market (orange market) have a strict cut-off date which is five working days before the market takes place.
In order to assess whether a licence request can be approved, APHA need to have sufficient information to carry out a risk assessment of the proposed movement.
APHA will assess the licence request and contact the applicant if the licence cannot be approved, otherwise a licence will be sent by the preferred method as indicated on the application form. Occasionally it may be necessary for APHA to request further information from the applicant and/or organise a visit to the premises by APHA staff to inform the decision.
TB restrictions prevent movements of cattle onto a TB-restricted holding except under licence. However, these movements must meet the following criteria:
You should carefully consider the implications before moving animals onto your farm whilst under TB restrictions. A 50% reduction in compensation is applied for animals moved into a TB breakdown herd that are subsequently removed as TB reactors (or direct contacts) before the herd regains officially TB free (OTF) status. See the Compensation section for further information.
TB restrictions prevent movements of cattle off a TB-restricted holding except under licence issued by APHA.
Cattle moving off a TB-restricted holding must have passed a TB test within a certain time frame depending on the type of destination. Options for movement of cattle off a TB-restricted holding under licence are summarised below:
Clear test within 90 days of movement, with the exception of calves under 42 days of age at the time of movement
Calves (rearing AFUs)
Stores and culls (finishing AFUs)
Clear test within 30 days of movement, with the exception of calves under 42 days of age at the time of movement.
All types (particularly useful for dairy calves)
A TBIU can only source cattle from a single herd
Clear test within 90 days of movement, with the exception of calves under 42 days of age at the time of movement.
Clear test within 30 days of movement
Cattle keepers applying to APHA for a licence to move animals from a TB-restricted holding onto another TB-restricted holding must be able to satisfy the following requirements;
If an inconclusive reactor (IR), direct contact (DC) or reactor dies or has to be slaughtered on your farm for welfare reasons, you must inform APHA. You do not need a licence to move the carcase but you must tell APHA before moving it as they may wish to carry out a post-mortem inspection.
Remember:
If clear testing cattle die on farm whilst under TB restrictions, you don’t need to tell APHA and you can dispose of them as for all other fallen stock. In addition to these TB requirements, other conditions must be complied with when removing fallen stock. For more information visit GOV.UK. Details of the National Fallen Stock Company (NFSCo) can be found on their website.
Further information on approved animal by-product plants is available from APHA or at GOV.UK
Farmed, non-bovine species such as South American camelids, goats, farmed deer, pigs and sheep are susceptible to TB and subject to statutory TB controls. If possible they should be located and managed separately from cattle to avoid any potential transmission of TB between species. Keepers should be aware that separate management of co-located non-bovines does not necessarily guarantee that TB restrictions and testing will not be applied to them in the event of a TB breakdown in cattle. For more information on TB in non-bovine species, visit our non-bovine section on the TB Hub.