The changes from January 2018 include:
Re-classification of Edge Area counties
The following part Edge, part High Risk Area split counties will be re-classified as fully in the Edge Area:
- Cheshire
- Derbyshire
- East Sussex
- Oxfordshire
- Warwickshire
A table explaining the differences between the current testing arrangements and new testing arrangements in the Edge Area can be found here
New cattle testing arrangements in the Edge Area
Herds in some parts of the Edge Area will be subject to six-monthly routine surveillance testing, while others will remain on annual testing supplemented with 3km radial testing around TB breakdown herds with lesion and/or culture positive animals.
In summary, these changes amount to:
- Routine six-monthly herd testing in Warwickshire, Oxfordshire, Cheshire (the south of which is currently in the High Risk Area) the west of Berkshire, northwest Hampshire and west Derbyshire – i.e. where the level of disease is highest and where radial testing may be impractical or administratively complex.
- Radial testing around TB breakdowns with lesion and/or culture positive animals in all other parts of the new Edge Area, as currently happens in the Low Risk Area.
Full details of the changes can be found on the TB Hub.