Thame-Chinnor Steering group
Oxfordshire has one of the highest incidences of Bovine TB in the whole of England. The Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) and the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) have been working with local farmers and vets to set up a project in two areas – in the north-west of the county and also in an area around Thame and Chinnor– where TB breakdowns among cattle and dairy herds have been found to be linked epidemiologically.
APHA have identified a number of ‘clusters’ of TB infection. A cluster is a group of TB breakdowns which are linked geographically (and in time) and for which the M.bovis (the bacterium which causes TB in cattle) that has been ‘isolated’ in the laboratory is closely related genetically.
The aim of the Oxfordshire Bovine TB Cluster Project (the ‘Oxfordshire cluster project’ for short) is to look at a number of locally relevant ways to add to the existing TB controls, to understand what is driving the genetically-linked clusters of disease and to get on top of the problem.
We have had a couple of meetings already in the past few months with farmers in the area on the map but it would be great to see as many of you that are in this region there as possible – Becca and Kathriona attended January’s meeting and would be happy to answer any of your questions about the project.
Upcoming events
Oxfordshire TB Cluster Pilot Farm Walk
Wednesday 29th March 2pm @ Field Farm, North Weston Thame, OX9 2HQ
Join the Thame Chinnor cluster group on a farm walk to learn
and share practical ways to improve on-farm biosecurity for a
grazing farm, including a session reviewing images from
wildlife monitoring cameras to help inform practical
recommendations and better protect your herd from bTB.
Refreshments available sponsored by Thame Market
Please confirm your attendance by 24th March by emailing oxfordshirecluster.project@defra.gov.uk
Next meeting
Tues 25th April 6:40-8:30pm @ Thame Barns Centre (Church Road, Thame OX9 3AJ)
