GovWire

Apply to get a licensed finishing unit (LFU) approved in England or Wales.

An LFU is a type of TB unit which can only be located in the low risk area (LRA) of England or the low TB area of Wales.

You can finish negative-testing cattle from multiple officially TB free (OTF) herds from any area of England, Scotland and Wales.

Cattle at LFUs are:

• permanently under movement restrictions
• housed under biosecure conditions

Before cattle move to an LFU, they must comply with statutory pre-movement testing requirements.

There are separate conditions of approval and guidance for LFUs in England and Wales.

For LFUs in England:

• cattle can only move from LFUs direct to slaughter or to slaughter through an approved TB gathering (market or collection) in England
• cattle cannot move through an approved TB slaughter gathering in Wales
• TB testing is not required for cattle in LFUs but the Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) can test in exceptional circumstances
• cattle moved from annual or more frequent TB testing herds will need a post-movement test only if a required pre-movement test has not been carried out 60 days before moving to the LFU

For LFUs in Wales:

• LFUs provide exemption from post-movement testing of cattle moving to a finishing unit in the low TB area of Wales
• cattle can only move from LFUs direct to slaughter or to slaughter through an approved TB gathering (market or collection) in England or Wales
• cattle in LFUs must be tested every 6 months
• any animal without a statutory pre-movement test, when it is required in the 60 days before moving into an LFU in Wales, will need additional testing