The Region of Murcia has had a 0% prevalence of bovine tuberculosis for several years, a status that allowed it to be declared free of this disease, as published by the European Commission on January 23. To achieve this classification of ‘community free of bovine tuberculosis’, the close collaboration between the livestock sector and the veterinary community has been essential and it can only be understood by the commitment of both sectors.
«In the Region of Murcia, the guidelines set by both the European Commission and the Ministry are strictly followed. There are many veterinarians who work hand in hand with farmers on a daily basis, carrying out thousands of diagnostic tests, to follow disease eradication and control programs, for years. It is for this reason that our livestock herd enjoys such a good health status,” explains Teresa López Hernández, president of the Region’s College of Veterinarians.
The attempted violent break-in last Monday by several farmers into a building of the Junta de Castilla y León to protest the restrictions to which their farms were subjected has put the focus on this disease. The controversy arises as a result of bovine tuberculosis infections in various farms, and the decision of the Government of that community to make measures against infections of the bacterium more flexible.
All animals entering the Region must do so with a negative tuberculin test and, if positive, they are slaughtered.
It was precisely this resolution of greater permissiveness in the measures, a provision promoted by Vox, which provoked the opposition of the College of Veterinarians and the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries, which published an order to prevent cows from Castilla y León from being able to leave the community. Is there any possibility of a case occurring in the Region?
López explains that it is difficult for something similar to happen, because both the Administration, as well as field veterinarians and farmers, “are aware of the obligation of each of the parties to respect the health programs established by community regulations and the national provisions on the eradication and surveillance of animal diseases. In addition, from the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock they add that there is a European regulation for the control and eradication of this disease that all member states must comply with, and then it is transposed into national regulations and a consensus with the autonomous communities. “The rules are the same for everyone and they must be followed.”
The program to achieve being an infection-free zone requires that there be no cases for three years
In this sense, the sources point out, the structure of the sector in the two autonomous communities cannot be compared, since the epidemiological circumstances are very different. «In the case of Castilla y León, there are many areas where the predominant livestock farming is the extensive type, where the animals have contact with wildlife, a reservoir of the disease. Roe deer, wild boar and deer that are transmitters of this bacterium, of tuberculosis.
On the other hand, the productive model of livestock in the Region is 90% intensive closed cycles, “so the risk of contagion from wildlife is greatly reduced.” In addition, there is a security measure established by the regional protocol, and which is unique in the country.
Thus, all animals that enter the Region must do so with a negative tuberculin test. “This test must have been done in the place of origin at least 30 days before coming. If it does not have it, the animal is isolated and the test is carried out in our territory. If it is negative, it can be introduced into farms and if it is positive, it is communicated to the Ministry and the community from which it comes and the animal is sacrificed, “indicate sources from the Ministry.
Finally, they add that a program was started some time ago to achieve the European classification of a zone free of bovine tuberculosis, which required that 99.9% of the farms had to be free of the disease and for three years there should be no case.
“All this has been achieved thanks to the collaboration between the livestock sector and veterinarians and strict compliance with the rules,” they conclude from Livestock.
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