Originally from: frances fish
                        
Dear Jane and Mona, Such are the tests for TB that it is little wonder that many have little faith in them. After 2001 when they slaughtered so many healthy animals would many people want to volunteer more on the basis of testing which is so unreliable ? As I say, if you wish to see the exact figures, they are posted on the Defra website and make quite alarming reading. I expect that the latest scare in Scotland will prove my point. They say that a high proportion of the herd tested positive, what they will not do is several weeks later, state that, of these, a very high percentage, on further testing, proved to be negative ! If you take the trouble(and you have the time) its all there, in the various tables and statistics.I think the SVS took a severe bashing, credibility-wise during and after 2001 and they are not trusted (with good cause).Tony Blair may think that no-one is to blame, the RCVS says none of their members are guilty, but the farming community knows better.Many of the schemes to detect animal diseases like TB, Brucellosis, Scrapie,scab rely on co-operation and it is as scarce on the ground as hens teeth. Whose fault is that ? I think most of us could hazard a guess, don't you ? Frances