Transparency data

January 2023

Updated 24 December 2024

Applies to England, Scotland and Wales

Compensation payable during January 2023 in England, for a bovine animal compulsorily slaughtered for bovine tuberculosis (TB), brucellosis and enzootic bovine leukosis (EBL) disease control purposes, will be as detailed below.

Table of non-pedigree bovine categories

Beef sector

Male		Female
Age	Compensation due (£/head)	Age	Compensation due (£/head)
Up to 3 months	151	Up to 3 months	107
Over 3 months up to 6 months	383	Over 3 months up to 6 months	334
Over 6 months up to 9 months	672	Over 6 months up to 9 months	554
Over 9 months up to 12 months	783	Over 9 months up to 12 months	643
Over 12 months up to 16 months	1,002	Over 12 months up to 16 months	805
Over 16 months up to 20 months	1,263	Over 16 months up to 20 months (including calved)	1,155
20 months and over	1,310	20 months and over not calved	1,242
Breeding bulls 20 months and over	1,461	20 months and over calved	1,094

Dairy sector

Male		Female
Age	Compensation due (£/head)	Age	Compensation due (£/head)
Up to 3 months	51	Up to 3 months	82
Over 3 months up to 6 months	142	Over 3 months up to 6 months	186
Over 6 months up to 12 months	331	Over 6 months up to 12 months	365
Over 12 months up to 16 months	802	Over 12 months up to 16 months	492
Over 16 months up to 20 months	936	Over 16 months up to 20 months	620
20 months and over	941	Over 20 months and up to 84 months calved	1,590
		Over 20 months and up to 84 months not calved	873
		Over 84 months	1,016

Table of pedigree bovine categories

Beef sector

Male – applies to entire males (bulls) only. Steers receive non-pedigree compensation		Female
Age	Compensation due (£/head)	Age	Compensation due (£/head)
0 months up to 6 months	*	0 months up to 6 months	*
6 months up to 12 months	*	6 months up to 12 months	*
Over 12 months up to 24 months	4,852	Over 12 months to 24 months	2,397
Bull 24 months and over	2,154	24 months and over (not calved)	2,427
		Calved over 24 months and up to 36 months	*
		Calved 36 months and over	2,138

Dairy sector

Male - applies to entire males (bulls) only. Steers receive non-pedigree compensation		Female
Age	Compensation due (£/head)	Age	Compensation due (£/head)
Up to 2 months	*	Up to 2 months	550
Over 2 months up to 12 months	*	Over 2 months up to 10 months	985
Over 12 months up to 24 months	2,677	Over 10 months up to 18 months	1,083
Bull 24 months and over	*	Over 18 months not calved	1,446
		Calved over 18 months and up to 36 months	2,158
		Calved over 36 months and up to 84 months	1,895
		Calved over 84 months	1,285

* Compensation to be determined using individual valuation

Notes

1. The above table details the compensation payable for those animals slaughtered because they are either affected with bovine TB, bovine spongiform encephalopathy (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, brucellosis and EBL 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 November 2022 and 20 December 2022 for non-pedigree animals, and between 21 June 2022 and 20 December 2022 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 - the owner accepts the salvage payment from the slaughterhouse in lieu of Defra compensation.

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

Date published: December 2022, APHA Bovine TB Finance Team