Farmer Sheilagh Kremers was on tenterhooks yesterday as she awaited the outcome of a second TB test on her famous Dexter calf, Mous'l Fern. the animal has lived under a death sentence since a flawed test gave a positive result. But Defra tested again on Monday at New Barn Farm, Ogwell, in front of a mass media audience that ensured fair play. Mrs Kremers, 63, has fought tenaciously to save her pedigree calf since the initial test results in mid-December. She maintained the test was badly flawed, the vet who conducted the tests did not follow the rules, the results were altered and the injection site may well have become infected due to the misapplication of the test. Animal health minister Ben Bradshaw admitted last week that the test had been carried out wrongly, and agreed to a retest, which Defra had earlier insisted was not allowed under European law. Mrs Kremers' legal costs will be met by the Government, though there is no confirmation of that nor, as yet, an apology from Mr Bradshaw. The vet who conducted the first test on Fern has been suspended from TB testing duty. Mr Bradshaw has launched an inquiry to discover whether the errors made in Fern's test were an isolated case or if there is widespread malpractice in TB tests across the country. Defra vets Gill Whitehead and Peter Budd arrived on Monday to conduct the second TB test. Fern, now eight months old, has been in isolation since December. He has lost weight and condition, and has rubbed bald patches in his black coat. He used to call for his mother, but has recently ceased trying. Mrs Kremers was determined this second test would be fair. 'I don't trust Defra,' she said: 'They will want Fern to fail this test.' She insisted on boiling the needles and guns to be used, specifying the test site should be cleansed before the injections, and initially rejecting tuberculin vials the vets had with them. 'Take me to a local vets' and I'll select some from their fridge.' She explained to Gill Whitehead: 'It's not you I don't trust, it's Defra.' Only when the local vet failed to have both types of tuberculin, bovine and avian, and the Defra vets had agreed an exchange of vials was possible, did Mrs Kremers accept the supplies they had brought. 'This will be a true test,' said Ms Whitehead. Mrs Kremers said she was happy the way the test was conducted.
