Bovine TB in Wales, England and Scotland

Data for the graph above were sourced from References 1, 2 and 3. The proportion of cattle slaughtered were taken from the TOTAL number of animals slaughtered under bovine TB control measures in Reference 1. The proportion was calculated by dividing the number of cattle slaughtered by the number of cattle existing.


Data for the graph above were sourced from References 1, 7 and 8. As before, the proportion of cattle slaughtered were taken from the TOTAL number of animals slaughtered under bovine TB control measures in Reference 1. The solid and dashed lines represent the proportion when the numbers of cattle existing were given by the Welsh government (Reference 7) and the Rural Payments Agency (Reference 8) respectively.

The above graph suggests that bovine TB levels in Gwent halved between 2008 and 2010 whereas levels in Powys remained about the same. Gwent and Powys are neighbouring counties.

For an explanation of one possible reason why bovine TB prevalence dropped between 2008 and 2010, please click here.

References

1. Bovine TB County Animal Statistics - Great Britain regional - DEFRA.
2. Number of cattle in England, Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland, Great Britain and the UK for each year from 1866 to 2010
3. Number of holdings and cattle in Scotland
4. Cattle slaughtered in the IAA
5. Bovine TB eradication programme science review in Wales Q & A - December 2011
6. Wales Bovine TB eradication programme Questions and Answers - 4th April 2012
7. Number of cattle in Wales by county 1998 to 2010
8. Number of cattle in Wales by county 2004 to 2012