Health Check Wales, a programme was established to test Wales' 13,130 registered cattle herds to gain a more accurate picture of the spread of bovine TB across Wales. It is part of the Welsh Assembly Government's comprehensive package of measures aimed at eradicating the disease in Wales.

 

All registered herds in Wales have had a TB test during the past 15 months or have a test booked for early in the New Year.

 

As a result of TB Health Check Wales, the number of overdue tests has been reduced from 711 at the beginning of the programme, to just six at the end of November 2009. The December statistics will be available at the end of January, 2010.

 

The initiative has resulted in the slaughter of 185 infected cattle from 96 herds previously thought to be free from bovine TB. 62 of these herds were located in North Wales, an area not previously considered to have a significant bovine TB presence.  

 

According to Elin Jones, Wales Rural Affairs Minister, not only has TB Health Check Wales has given then a clear picture of disease levels in Wales, and it has helped to stop the disease from establishing itself in new areas. This is due to early identification of occurrence of the disease, and rapid removal of the sources of infection.

 

In 2009, a total of 1,126 new cases of herds were infected with TB in Wales, not including those farms that were already under restrictions.

 

The final statistics from Health Check Wales will be published at the end of January 2010. The data from HCW will be analysed and published next year and will include identifying the probable origins of each new outbreak.