700 Cattle Lost to Botulism Outbreak

700 Cattle Lost to Botulism Outbreak

Farmers across several English counties are counting the cost of a suspected botulism outbreak that has already claimed more than 700 cattle. Investigations by the Food Standards Agency (FSA) and Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) have traced the likely source to contaminated bakery waste used in cattle feed.

The losses have been described as one of the most serious livestock health incidents in recent years. Farms in Essex, Shropshire and Northamptonshire have been hit hardest, with feed supplied under major assurance schemes now under scrutiny.

Although rare, botulism in cattle is almost always devastating when it appears. The disease is caused by toxins produced by Clostridium botulinum, typically when animals consume spoiled feed or material contaminated by decaying matter. Affected cattle may first appear weak or unsteady on their feet before losing coordination and struggling to swallow. In severe cases, sudden death can follow. Once the toxin is in the system, there is no cure, and herd losses can escalate rapidly.

This is not the first time UK herds have faced such an outbreak. In 2014, 160 dairy cows in Wales died after eating silage contaminated by a carcass. The latest incident underlines how easily the disease can reach livestock through unsuspected routes, even in feed supplied through established assurance schemes.

While the UK Health Security Agency has stressed there is no risk to public health from this outbreak, the message for farmers is clear. Feed must be stored and inspected with care, waste products should be treated with caution and carcasses or fallen stock must always be dealt with promptly.

Botulism may not be a common problem in British livestock, but when it strikes, it strikes hard. The best defence remains vigilance around feed and feed ingredients. A moment’s lapse in feed hygiene can result in catastrophic losses, as this latest tragedy shows.