Jeremy Clarkson 'devastated' as beloved cows to be culled amid TB outbreak

Jeremy Clarkson has revealed that his Diddly Squat farm is reeling from an outbreak of bovine tuberculosis (bTB) among its cattle.

In a post on X, he described the situation as "devastating," clarifying that it’s bovine TB - meaning it's unlikely to be transmissible to humans - and that affected cows will be removed under disease-control rules.

Cattle that test positive for bTB are required to be culled under UK laws to prevent the spread of the disease. Farmers are typically compensated for animals slaughtered due to bTB, although the amount may vary depending on factors like the animal's age and whether farm rules were followed. It comes after Top Gear host admitted he 'never got along' with Jeremy Clarkson as he made a bold statement.

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What is Bovine Tuberculosis (bTB)?

Bovine TB is a chronic respiratory disease in cattle, caused by the bacterium Mycobacterium bovis. This bacterium also infects other mammals like badgers, deer, goats, pigs, and occasionally cats and dogs.

Transmission among cattle typically occurs through coughing, sneezing, or contact with contaminated urine or feces. The disease may also spread between cattle and wildlife - especially badgers.

Routine testing - typically skin tests every six months - is mandatory for UK farms and aims to catch the disease early.

Impact for Clarkson's Farm

An initial positive test led to the farm entering a mandatory lockdown, meaning no cattle movements. In an update on X, the former Top Gear presenter confirmed people can still visit the farm, but no cows can be bought or sold.

While livestock operations are suspended, the farm shop stays open to the public and remains unaffected.

Responding to someone who said they hoped his herd recovered soon, Clarkson simply said: “They have to be culled. It’s the law.”

Culling an entire herd has been described as “one of the most distressing things that farmers will go through” by Thérèse Coffey, the former environment secretary.

Responding to a well-wisher who said he hoped Clarkson’s new prize-winning Aberdeen Angus bull, Endgame, would be spared, the broadcaster said: “His test was ‘inconclusive’. I couldn’t bear it if we lost him.”

He also revealed that the offending animal which caused the spread of TB on the farm, believed to be a cow, “is pregnant with twins”.

Can it be transmitted to humans?

Humans are at very low risk of catching bTB, especially in the modern UK. Pasteurisation and meat inspection protocols have almost eliminated transmission via dairy or meat.

There have been very rare human cases - involving older individuals or unpasteurised dairy consumption - but today such infections are exceptionally uncommon.

Clarkson confirmed this on X, writing: "It’s Bovine TB… it doesn’t affect people, just our poor cows."

How common is Bovine TB among UK farms?

Bovine TB remains a significant challenge for UK farming. As of March 2025, government data indicates there were thousands of new TB herd incidents in Great Britain each year.

For context, nearly 44,000 herds existed in England alone, and close to 2,000 were not officially TB‑free in recent data.

Historically, case numbers peaked in the southwest and Wales, with Scotland having much lower incidence rates.

Factors that increase bTB risks include trading cattle from high-risk areas, larger herd size, and proximity to previously infected farms.

Efforts to control Bovine TB

Traditional control in England has involved test-and-cull regimes and localized badger culling - though badgers account for a relatively small proportion of cattle infections (less than six percent).

More recently, farmer-backed trials in Cornwall have successfully vaccinated badgers, dropping infection rates from around 16 percent to zero - offering a promising alternative to culling.

The strategy remains under review, as officials and farming groups increasingly focus on cattle testing, biosecurity, and vaccination options for long-term control.