Transparency data

March 2025

Updated 28 March 2025

Applies to England, Scotland and Wales

1. Compensation for Bovine TB, Brucellosis, and Enzootic Bovine Leukosis – March 2025

Compensation payable during March 2025, in England for a bovine animal compulsorily slaughtered for Bovine TB, Brucellosis and EBL disease control purposes will be as detailed below.

2. Non-pedigree bovine categories

2.1 Beef sector

Male
Age Compensation due (£/head)
Up to and including 3 months 361
Over 3 months up to and including 6 months 632
Over 6 months up to and including 9 months 1,119
Over 9 months up to and including 12 months 1,440
Over 12 months up to and including 16 months 1,581
Over 16 months up to and including 20 months 1,763
Over 20 months, non-breeding bulls 1,954
Over 20 months, breeding bulls 2,877
Female
Age Compensation due (£/head)
Up to and including 3 months 299
Over 3 months up to and including 6 months 539
Over 6 months up to and including 9 months 940
Over 9 months up to and including 12 months 1,201
Over 12 months up to and including 16 months 1,351
Over 16 months up to and including 20 months (including calved) 1,561
Over 20 months, not calved 1,784
Over 20 months, calved 1,631

2.2 Dairy sector

Male
Age Compensation due (£/head)
Up to and including 3 months 161
Over 3 months up to and including 6 months 392
Over 6 months up to and including 12 months 679
Over 12 months up to and including 16 months 1,112
Over 16 months up to and including 20 months 1,354
Over 20 months 1,468
Female
Age Compensation due (£/head
Up to and including 3 months 217
Over 3 months up to and including 6 months 373
Over 6 months up to and including 12 months 590
Over 12 months up to and including 16 months 971
Over 16 months up to and including 20 months 1,144
Over 20 months up to and including 84 months, calved 2,040
Over 20 months up to and including 84 months, not calved 1,400
Over 84 months 1,479

3. Table of pedigree bovine categories

3.1 Beef sector

Male – Applies to entire males (bulls) only. Steers receive non-pedigree compensation
Age Compensation due (£/head)  
Up to and including 6 months IV  
Over 6 months up to and including 12 months IV  
Over 12 months up to and including 24 months 7,403  
Over 24 months, bulls 2,495  
Female
Age Compensation due (£/head)
Up to and including 6 months IV
Over 6 months up to and including 12 months 1,778
Over 12 months up to and including 24 months 2,326
Over 24 months, not calved 2,580
Over 24 months up to and including 36 months, calved IV
Over 36 months, calved 1,765

3.2 Dairy sector

Male - Applies to entire males (bulls) only. Steers receive non-pedigree compensation
Age Compensation due (£/head)
Up to and including 2 months IV
Over 2 months up to and including 12 months IV
Over 12 months up to and including 24 months 2,971
Over 24 months, bulls IV
Female
Age Compensation due (£/head)
Up to and including 2 months IV
Over 2 months up to and including 10 months 995
Over 10 months up to and including 18 months 1,138
Over 18 months, not calved 1,466
Over 18 months up to and including 36 months, calved 2,214
Over 36 months up to and including 84 months, calved 1,981
Over 84 months, calved 1,377

IV – Compensation to be determined using individual valuation.

4. Notes

  1. The above table details the compensation payable for those animals slaughtered because they are either affected with bovine TB, BSE, Brucellosis or EBL or are suspected of having one of these diseases; or are the offspring or cohorts of confirmed BSE cases.

  2. Compensation for bovine animals slaughtered for Bovine TB, EBL and Brucellosis is calculated in England under the Cattle Compensation (England) Order 2019 (based upon average livestock market prices for the relevant categories) and the Individual Ascertainment of Value (England) Order 2019. Compensation for bovine animals slaughtered for BSE is calculated in England under the TSE (England) Regulations 2018, in Wales under the TSE (Wales) Regulations 2018, and in Scotland under the TSE (Scotland) Regulations 2010 (as amended), which use data from the same system as England.

  3. Table valuations are entirely objective and based on real market data. Rates for the 51 cattle categories are determined using large amounts of contemporaneous sales data for same category, but disease free, cattle. Sales data for around 1.4m cattle is collected each year to support table valuations. For non-pedigree table values one month’s sales data is used, whereas 6 months’ data is used to determine table values for pedigree animals to ensure that data from either of the key sales periods in spring or autumn is included in the calculation.

  4. The values in the table of categories above have been derived from sales information obtained from store markets, prime markets, rearing calf sales, breeding sales and dispersal sales in Great Britain between 20 January 2025 and 20 February 2025 for non-pedigree animals, and between 21 August 2024 and 20 February 2025 for pedigree animals.

  5. Each calendar year, a statistical analysis of sales data collected during a 12-month period, is carried out to determine the minimum number of sales records required to enable Defra to have 95% confidence that the market price calculated for each category is within 20% of the population mean (all cattle sales for that category). This statistical data has helped Defra identify the level of variability in sales prices for each category. This intelligence is used to determine when there is insufficient data to support a table valuation for any particular category.

  6. Where the Secretary of State considers that the sales data for any particular bovine category in any given month are inadequate, or such price data is unavailable, the compensation payable will either be at the level of the most recently ascertained value for the same category, or alternatively the Secretary of State may opt to pay compensation  at the level of the market value of the animal in question, as ascertained under the Individual Ascertainment of Value (England) Order 2019 or the Transmissible Spongiform Encephalopathies (England) Regulations 2018.

  7. Where an owner slaughters an animal voluntarily and privately (which must be agreed with the Department) no compensation is payable, therefore the owner accepts the salvage payment from the slaughterhouse in lieu of Defra compensation.

  8. Compensation may be reduced for TB reactor cattle disclosed in herds with overdue TB tests.

Date published:  February 2025 APHA TB Finance Team