The regulations take effect within a risk zone of up to 7km around the location of an infected badger or 10km in the case of a deer or boar. Any badger set located on a cattle farm within 2km of a confirmed infected badger may be destroyed and targeted badger culls will take place. The authorities will actively monitor any new cases in a surveillance zone buffering the cull zone.
Game hunters will be encouraged to cull increased numbers of deer and boars set by the authorities, take part in TB monitoring on those animals killed and bring all offal to rendering plants. There will also be restrictions on game farming, feeding and releasing into the wild.
Raised water troughs
Farmers will be required to improve fencing, control scrubs and reduce opportunities for livestock and wildlife to feed and drink from shared locations. This includes raising watering troughs above 75cm, curbing feed storage and distribution at floor level and making lick buckets inaccessible to wild animals.
Local authorities may also order more frequent TB tests on those farms located in a risk zone and make a negative test compulsory 30 days before any cattle movement.
Increasing number of outbreaks
“France has been officially bovine TB-free since 2001, which allows the export of cattle to other EU member states without sanitary constraints,” the Department said. “However, there have been an increase in the number of outbreaks in some areas,” the regulations add, citing one district in the east of the country and three others in the southwest.