Decision due on major badger cull

[Guest guest]

Even the RSPCA are against a cull .......

 

Tackling the disease has become extremely contentious

 

 

Strategy set to tackle bovine TB

Britain's first major cull of badgers to combat tuberculosis in

cattle could be announced later.

 

The decision to eradicate the mammals within a defined geographical

area is expected to be announced by Welsh Rural Affairs Minister Elin

Jones.

 

The controversial move would be one of a series of measures to tackle

the disease - a growing problem in Wales.

 

Farmers have long blamed badgers for spreading bovine TB but animal

groups say evidence does not support this.

 

Ms Jones is expected to announce the attempt to as part of a wider

programme to tackle TB, which will include better and more rigorous

testing of cattle.

 

Major problem

 

There has been limited badger culling before but if plans to

eradicate all badgers within a defined, geographical area go ahead,

it will be the first time in Britain that such a wide-scale measure

has been used to control the disease.

 

Bovine TB is recognised as a major problem in Wales.

 

Under the current policy cattle are slaughtered if they fail routine

tests, with farmers who lose cows compensated.

 

Last year more than £15m was paid out to Welsh farmers in

compensation for infected animals.

 

In February, a report by the environment select committee in England

also backed calls for a limited cull, primarily in the south-west of

England, which saw the number of cases rise nearly 18% between 2006

and 2007.

 

It is estimated that, if left unchecked, the disease is likely to

spread across all of the UK by 2012.

 

Deep divisions

 

The committee said disorganised culling could make matters worse.

 

Rather, the report advised that action should be focused on TB

hotspots and form part of a package of control measures - such as

better testing and surveillance of cattle.

 

How to deal with the problem causes deep divisions.

 

Many farmers say badgers are to blame for infecting their herds and

want a widespread cull.

 

Farmers Union of Wales vice president Brian Walters said: " We are

hoping to see some sort of cull of badgers so we can see a control of

the disease in wildlife. At the moment it's running rampant. "

 

But conservations have urged the Welsh Assembly Government to reject

the proposal, saying badgers are being wrongly victimised for an

illness brought on by modern, intensive farming.

 

An RSPCA spokeswoman said: " If it's an announcement to cull then we

would find that absolutely shocking and we would ask the minister to

think again, because it flies in the face of sound scientific

judgment. One wonders why anybody would contemplate it. "