An update from the Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) has confirmed that on-farm ‘phase three’ activities have
now concluded across England and Wales.
This additional phase was necessary to gather extra data on the performance of the companion DIVA skin test in vaccinated cattle and to help inform how the vaccine could be deployed in practice.
The test, which detects infected among vaccinated animals, was described as a 'major breakthrough' when it was announced in July 2021. Without it, the long-standing BCG vaccination cannot be used, because it cross-reacts with the cornerstone test used for bTB surveillance in the UK and by our trading partners – the tuberculin-based skin and blood test.
The latest work has seen 736 animals from 11 farms in the low TB incidence areas of England and Wales vaccinated with the BCG vaccine, and subsequently DIVA-tested. Progress has been described as ‘encouraging’, and all the sites have completed all on-farm activity, including vaccination and follow-up testing.
“This is a significant and welcome step forwardand we are hugely grateful for the contribution of the farmers, veterinary proefessionals and staff who have supported the work on the ground”
Roger Lewis, NFU Cymru TB Focus Group Chairman
Milestone moment for vaccine development
Analysis of phase three data is the next step. Following satisfactory results there, GB marketing authorisations for the vaccine and test, as well as World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH)
recognition for the DIVA test reagent can be sought – the final pieces of the puzzle before a wider roll-out of the vaccine and test.
The data gathered on the DIVA test specifi city (in essence its rate of false positive) will also help to inform deployment, once marketing authorisations are in place.
NFU Cymru TB Focus Group Chairman, Roger Lewis said: “This is a significant and welcome step forward and we are hugely grateful for the contribution of the farmers, veterinary professionals and trials staff who have supported the work on the ground.
“While challenges remain, the progressof field trials shows real momentum in delivering a practical, science-led tool in the fight against bovine TB. However, greater urgency is needed. Continued collaboration between farmers, vets and government will be critical to getting a vaccine over the line and deployed on Welsh farms."
What a vaccine might mean
If successful in securing marketing authorisation and WOAH recognition, the vaccine and DIVA test combination could provide a significant new tool in the fight against bTB. It could help to:
- reduce infection rates within herds
- limit transmission within and between farms
- cut the number of cattle culled because of bTB
- support long-term eradication strategies across Great Britain.
‘All tools still needed’
He stressed that NFU Cymru continues to call for a comprehensive bTB eradication policy based on sound science and evidence. "No single method can eradicate this disease - we need access to every tool that is scientifi cally proven to work, including targeted wildlife control where needed," Roger said.
"It is only by using all these measures together, with farmers, vets, and government working together, that we can achieve eradication."
We do not expect that vaccination would not replace existing TB controls, but instead it would complement measures focussed on cattle and wildlife as part of a comprehensive package.
In the recent English TB Strategy Refresh, published by Defra, the UK Government said it wanted to see a cattle vaccine ‘deployed’ by 2030.
Wales Chief Veterinary Officer, Dr Richard Irvine said:
“Wales has been part of the UK efforts to develop an effective cattle vaccine against bovine TB. Completing the on-farm phase of
these field trials, which included three farms from Wales, is a significant milestone.
Reaching this stage is testament to the world-leading scientists at the APHA, as well as the hard work of the vets and farmers who have dedicated their time and expertise to this, and previous trials.
We are now one step closer to having a deployable cattle vaccine and an accompanying DIVA test to use in the fight to eradicate bovine TB in Wales by 2041. Used alongside other measures, they will help to tackle this wicked disease and reduce its impact on livestock farmers for years to come.”
If successful, the combined vaccine and DIVA test could transform the way bTB is managed on farm. For many in the sector, the progress made so far is a welcome step forward — but there remains a clear need for urgency and for farmers to see results and a vaccine made widely available as soon as possible.
From the trials: Why I took part
Livestock farmer Edward Griffith, pictured below with his son Ellis at his family farm Bodwi, near Mynytho on the Llyn Peninsula, was one of the three Welsh farms taking part in the final stage of on-farm work, which was conducted on eleven farms across England and Wales.
He said: “Despite farming in a low-risk part of Wales, bTB is creeping forever closer and has now become one of the biggest threats to the cattle enterprise on our farm. The thought of our closed suckler herd that we have built up over the decades being decimated by this dreadful disease doesn’t bear thinking about.
“A TB vaccine has been talked about for years and has the potential to revolutionise the way we approach TB eradication. As a family, we were keen to get involved in the trial to play our part in this important work in ridding Wales of this dreadful disease.
The data gathered from our farm in this trial will help evidence that the vaccine and the skin test that is used alongside it are safe, e ffectiveand can distinguish vaccinated cattle from infected ones."
