Routine bovine TB tuberculin testing of cattle herds involves handling and injection that causes stress and occasional injury, and welfare-conscious testing protocols can significantly reduce the stress burden.
TB testing imposes a recurrent welfare burden on cattle in testing areas — herds under restrictions may be tested every 60 days. The multiple handling events required for injection and reading, combined with the stress of crush confinement, represent significant accumulated welfare costs particularly for herds under frequent surveillance testing. Reactors detected at testing are compulsorily slaughtered — the welfare implications of sudden removal from established social groups and transportation to slaughter affect both the individual animal and remaining herd members who experience social disruption. Low-stress handling training for farmers and improved crush facility design can meaningfully reduce the physiological and behavioural stress of testing events.