Emerging from a nine-year battle with TB
Nick, organic beef farmer, Derbyshire
Nick’s family has owned their farm since 1968. He has been dealing with bovine TB since 2004 and has had his business closed down several times. The first time his farm was hit by the disease he lost 26 cows – more than half of his herd.
His latest TB test brought good news. It was a clear test. He must now get another clear test in 60 days before he will be officially TB free and able to resume normal business.
Nick’s experience
“This herd has been a closed herd for nearly 25 years. These cattle live a natural life out at grass.”
“This is an organic farm and in spite of all I do to protect my cows by not buying other cattle in, by having secure boundaries so they can’t interact with other cattle, I can’t protect them from the disease because it comes in in wildlife.”
“I saw a friend of mine last night. He’d lost a quarter of his herd – 600-odd cows – for the second time, it happened to him a few years ago."
“We’ve had a clear test. We’ve had some very close readings that have passed so every time that happens you’re thinking ‘Here we go, this is it’.”
“You don’t know if it’s going to be one, a quarter, a half. Some people have all their cattle taken. It’s your livelihood.”