‘Absolutely devastated' – Bovine TB found on Jeremy Clarkson's Diddly Squat Farm
In a post on X, Clarkson wrote: 'Bad news from Diddly Squat. We've gone down with TB.
'Everyone here is absolutely devastated.'
Asked in the comments about the prize bull called Endgame, which Clarkson bought recently for £5,500 featured in the latest series, he said: 'His test was 'inconclusive'. I couldn't bear it if we lost him.'
He later wrote: 'The offending animal is pregnant with twins.'
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Clarkson also clarified the disease is Bovine TB, which does not affect people but 'just our poor cows'.
Cattle which fail a TB test, or animals that have inconclusive results for two consecutive tests, and are classed as 'reactors', must be isolated then to slaughter.
Bovine TB is recognised as a problem which devastates farm businesses, spreading from badgers to cattle, and from cow to cow.
Badger culling has long been a part of the Government response to the disease, despite criticism from wildlife and animal welfare campaigners.
The Government last month said it will not be extending the badger cull and retains its commitment to end the practice before the next election.
Oxfordshire is an 'edge area' for TB, meaning it is a buffer zone between high risk and low risk areas – so most herds are subject to six monthly TB tests by default.
There have been several cases in the area of Oxfordshire near to Diddly Squat Farm in recent weeks, according to ibTB, a mapping platform for the disease in England and Wales.
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