Notifiable disease surveillance

Bovine Tuberculosis

Bovine Brucellosis is a bacterial disease of cattle which can cause abortions and premature calf births, and which can also cause disease in humans. It is spread by contact with infected material, such as the foetus and afterbirth from an infected cow. Brucellosis is a notifiable disease which means that all cases where brucellosis might be suspected (including all abortions and premature calvings* in cattle, see below) must be reported immediately to DEFA, Animal Health.

The last confirmed case of bovine brucellosis in the Isle of Man occurred in 1978. The Isle of Man is recognised by the EU as free from infection with Brucella abortus, B. melitensis and B. suis in cattle, sheep and goats under EU Commission Implementing Decision 2021/404.  

Our bovine brucellosis free status is maintained through regular bulk milk testing of dairy herds. In addition, abortions in cattle are investigated and may require testing. If you are a cattle keeper and one of your animals aborts or calves prematurely*, you must contact DEFA Animal Health or your private vet as soon as possible, as samples may need to be collected for testing. In the meantime, you should isolate the dam and retain the products of abortion (foetus and afterbirth).

*Abortion or premature calving is defined as 'an abortion or calving taking place less than 271 days after service or 265 days after implantation or transfer of an embryo, whether the calf is born dead or alive'.

For further information on Bovine Brucellosis in the UK, please see the UK Government page Brucellosis: how to spot and report the disease and the NADIS page Brucellosis.

Enzootic Bovine Leukosis (EBL) is a viral disease which causes cancers of the lymphatic system in cattle. It does not affect humans. EBL is a notifiable disease which means that if EBL is identified or suspected, DEFA Animal Health must be notified immediately.

The Isle of Man is recognised by the EU as free from EBL under EU Commission Implementing Decision 2021/404.

A low level of testing for EBL is maintained by DEFA, through bulk milk testing of dairy herds and by blood testing 1% of beef herds (animals over two years of age) annually.

For further information on EBL, please see the UK Government page Enzootic bovine leukosis: how to spot and report the disease and the NADIS page Lymphatic and other Tumours in Cattle.

Bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE), known as mad cow disease, is a fatal brain disease that affects cattle. Scrapie is a similar fatal brain disease that affects sheep and goats. Both diseases are notifiable diseases, which means that if BSE or Scrapie is identified or suspected, DEFA Animal Health must be notified immediately.

All fallen cattle stock which were born since 01/01/1998 and are over 48 months of age are brain sampled at the Animal Waste Processing Plant (AWPP) and the samples tested for BSE.

Adult sheep are also brain sampled at the AWPP and the samples tested for Scrapie.

For more information, see Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE).

For further information on BSE and Scrapie in the UK, please see BSE: how to spot and report the disease and Scrapie: how to spot and report the disease.