Absence of Evidence does not mean Evidence of Absence

The inside of my one-year-old steer did not look like this.

The photo above is what typical macroscopic and microscopic bovine tuberculosis (bTB) lesions look like.

Despite being a 'reactor' - in fact our second reactor since 9 January - on inspection by Animal and Plant Health Agency , neither of them had any evidence of bTB lesions. None.

However, as Dr Carl Sagan is famously quoted (in entirely different circumstances, to be fair), "absence of evidence does not mean evidence of absence."

For those of you who know me from the tech world, Bovine tuberculosis (bTB) is a bacterial disease that affects cattle and other animals, as well as occasionally humans. It is caused by Mycobacterium bovis, a bacterium related to the one that causes human tuberculosis.

The treatment of bTB involves the use of antibiotics, such as rifampicin and isoniazid, in combination with other drugs. However, treatment of infected animals is often not practical due to the difficulty in identifying infected animals, the long duration of treatment, and the possibility of relapse.

Recently, several developments have been made in the treatment of bTB. One approach involves the use of vaccination. Vaccines are being developed that can provide immunity against bTB, and trials have shown promising results. The development of a vaccine could help to reduce the incidence of bTB in cattle herds and other animals.

Another approach involves the use of phage therapy. Phages are viruses that can infect and kill bacteria. Researchers are exploring the use of phages to treat bTB by targeting the bacteria directly. This approach is still in the early stages of development, but it has shown potential in laboratory experiments.

Finally, researchers are also exploring the use of novel drug treatments for bTB. For example, a new drug called bedaquiline has been shown to be effective against bTB in laboratory experiments, and clinical trials are currently underway to test its efficacy in humans and animals.

Overall, while progress has been made in the treatment of bTB, the disease remains a significant challenge for farmers and veterinarians. More research is needed to develop effective treatments and control strategies for this disease.

In the meantime, we're still locked down and the only place our (frankly stunning-looking) pedigree South Devon cattle can go is to the abattoir for meat.

That is a real shame.