British Cattle Veterinary Association

This paper discusses, from the view point of a veterinary surgeon practicing in Wales, the control of bovine tuberculosis (bTB). It draws from experience from practical bTB skin testing over 31 years, participation in the Welsh Assembly Government (WAG) biosecurity Intensive Treatment Area (ITA) and a meeting with a District Disease Control Manager (DDCM) in New Zealand. Use is made of an analogy of a three-legged stool of bTB control (developed by the Animal Health Board (AHB) in New Zealand) to contrast bTB in Wales with that in New Zealand. Use is made of data extracted from TB Master (Lilac Technology) and results from a biosecurity scoring tool (developed by the Royal Veterinary College) to illustrate the opinions expressed in the paper.