Dangers of moving cows

摘要

The movement of cattle around the country, and the presence of badgers, are both implicated in the high incidence of bovine tuberculosis in Britain. The problem may get even worse in the near future. Every year in Britain, as in many other countries, millions of cattle are moved between livestock farms, markets and abattoirs. This practice is known to contribute to the spread of infectious diseases, and a study by Gilbert et al. (page 491 of this issue) suggests that it is implicated specifically in recent increases in the incidence of bovine tuberculosis (BTB).