The State Veterinary Service (SVS), an arm of Defra, has released a press statement about the post mortem on Fern, the Ogwell calf slaughtered on April 7 after a battle about his faulty TB test. The report says the post mortem confirms the accuracy of the diagnostic skin test 'by showing clearly visible pathological signs of bovine tuberculosis'. The post mortem found 'visible lesions typical of the presence of the disease'. The report said: 'If left alive, this animal would, in time, have been likely to suffer typical signs of the disease such as emaciation, weakness, breathing difficulties and, probably, premature death.' It delivered a rap over the knuckles to Fern's owner, Sheilagh Kremers, who resisted Defra. 'Bovine TB is a highly progressive, chronic disease which worsens with time. It is essential that animals reacting to the diagnostic skin test are removed and slaughtered at the earliest possible opportunity. 'By delaying slaughter, infected animals pose a significantly greater risk of spreading TB among other animals in the herd, to neighbouring farms and to wildlife,' said the report. Ms Kremers had not received a copy of this document. Instead she and her husband Mark Isted were told verbally by a Defra vet after the post mortem that 'a small calcified abscess was found in the throat'. Mr Isted was at the post mortem and witnessed the throat glands being removed. 'There was no swelling, and the spot of calcified infection had a hard crust round it – Mr Isted said it looked as if it had sealed itself off – which would mean it was no longer infectious to Fern or to anyone else,' said Ms Kremers. It will be six weeks before the tissue samples taken from Fern will be cultured to reveal the strain of any infection he was suffering from. 'A lot of what is said in the report is not applicable to my calf,' said Ms Kremers. 'In fact it reminds me of what the first Defra vet, Linda Farrant, told me when Fern had failed his first test and she was putting pressure on me to allow his slaughter. 'She said that as a young animal with TB he would be riddled with it, and I would be in danger just looking after him. He wasn't riddled with it – she was just being alarmist. 'The SVS statement is very damning and again appears to change what we were originally told.' She added: 'Fern spent four months in total isolation, where he could not have passed anything to surrounding herds. 'He was not ill in any way, even the valuer said that he was a very healthy calf. 'Unfortunately, at the end of the day, he only needed to be a suspect for Defra to be able to take him away. No proof is needed.'
