Probably one of the biggest challenges UK agriculture has faced for several years is TB in cattle and it’s certainly something that tests the resilience of all our beef and dairy farmers here in the South West. From the badger cull to movement restrictions and on-farm testing - much has been tried to prevent the spread of the disease, albeit with very limited results. Today we’re going to ask what role vaccination can play in the TB debate and whether a full vaccination programme could make South West farms more resilient?Peter is joined by a vet and a farmer. Ralph Drouin is a TB tester with Shepton Vets in Somerset. He worked in a mixed, mainly farm practice in Somerset until dairy quotas arrived in 1984. He then joined MAFF as a Veterinary Officer, dealing with BSE, TB and Foot and Mouth Disease. He’s been with Shepton Vets since 2015. Max Sealy is a fourth-generation dairy farmer from near Chippenham in Wiltshire. He’s also a farm consultant with 25 years of experience in farm management. Throughout this series we are focusing on the topic of resilience. Farming Focus is the podcast for farmers in the South West of England, but is relevant for farmers outside of the region or indeed anyone in the wider industry or who has an interest in food and farming. For more information on Cornish Mutual visit cornishmutual.co.ukFor our podcast disclaimer click here.  Timestamps00:01 Cornish Mutual jingle. 00:14 Peter Green introduces today's show.02:32 Ralph takes us through some of his experiences regarding TB in cattle.03:19 When did TB start becoming a major issue in the south west?04:07 Max talks about his experience with TB in cattle. 05:58 How does it feel on TB test day?07:16 The farming community working and standing together.08:05 Why is TB such a big challenge?10:00 What were the impacts of TB on Max of breakdowns? - Loss of income especially.11:00 What does resilience mean to Max?12:33 What does a TB resilient farm business look like? 15:30 How could cattle farmers improve their biosecurity on their farms?17:15 What does Max feel about this?20:00 Usefulness of cattle vaccination from Max's point of view.21:25 What would the logistics be of a farm vaccination programme?27:02 Vaccination of the wildlife pool.28:48 Getting on top of the disease.30:00 Is Max confident that the south west will be TB free in future?31:25 Showstoppers34:20 Cream Teas...35:00 Peter rounds up. 

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