The spatial distribution of bovine tuberculosis in England

Bovine tuberculosis (bTB) is a major cattle disease affecting the livestock industry in England and Wales. While bTB data have been presented in many forms and some mapping has been undertaken both in government and academia, relatively little research has been conducted on the spatial distribution of bTB in the UK by geographers. Using a location quotient (LQ) methodology to map the incidence of bTB in England over the last decade, this article identifies a disease core in the South West and West Midlands. It also shows that the disease has become more widespread in northern and eastern regions since the 1990s and has emerged in previously unaffected areas. These findings have important implications for the development of policy to tackle the bTB problem