Another 250,000 euros will go towards an experimental vaccine for wildlife.

Despite having received the status of country free from bovine tuberculosis in 2001, France is rediscovering itself vulnerable to this scourge for farms, therefore it runs to countermeasures. The increase in outbreaks in some regions and geographical areas (South-West, Normandy, Corsica) and its persistence in others (Côte d'Or, Camargue) have required the implementation of sanitary measures.

The French Ministry of Agriculture has first ordered that any farmer who encounters cases of bovine tuberculosis on his farm undergoes biosecurity training to regain "free" status. The obligation also applies to breeders of herds in the epidemiological proximity of the outbreaks. The prevention of tuberculosis has benefited from a support system for the training of farmers from 2021 to 2023 under France Relance financed with 3.5 million euros. With an order dated 25 February last, an increase in compensation was ordered for farmers who carry out "diagnostic" slaughtering: the government, therefore, gives the right to compensation for the benefit of farmers forced to slaughter their suspect cattle of infection and to buy replacement clothes. This update takes into account the evolution of energy and raw material price increases.

The problem of bovine tuberculosis does not involve only cattle. Even wildlife (especially wild boar, deer, badgers) can be infected and transmit the disease to farm animals. In this regard, the French Ministry of Agriculture is allocating 250 thousand euros for an experimental vaccine on badgers, which will start this spring in the New Aquitaine region, to then be extended to any other contaminated areas.

Recent regulatory changes at European level authorize the use of the Interferon-gamma test, which makes it possible to reduce the blocking period of farms suspected of being infected and to limit the number of slaughters of suspect animals, while maintaining optimal monitoring of the farms.