The information requested is shown in the following table.
Total new herd incidents Confirmed new herd incidents 2005 — — 2004 3 1 2003 — — 2002 1 — 2001 — — Note: Provisional data downloaded from DEFRA’s animal health database (Vetnet) on 7 March 2006. Subject to change as more data becomes available
In 2001, the TB testing and control programme was largely suspended due to the foot and mouth disease (FMD) outbreak. When testing resumed in 2002, resources were concentrated on herds with overdue TB tests which would have had a longer period in which to contract the disease. Also the proportion of high risk herds tested immediately after the FMD outbreak was greater than that prior to the outbreak. As a result, data for 2001 and 2002 are not comparable with other years.