Badger cull must be policy priority

A cull of infected badgers must be included in future Government policy, along with proper movement controls and rigorous testing, the Royal Association of British Dairy Farmers has said.

RABDF have appealed to parliamentary candidates asking them to commit to practical measures towards TB eradication. Evidence suggested current measures, which resulted in up to 40,000 reactors being culled each year were failing to reduce incidences of TB in cattle, said chairman David Cotton.

“The total number of TB incidents in dairy herds coupled with reactors slaughtered has increased dramatically over the past decade, with the total number of animals slaughtered increasing by nearly 30,000.”

Farmers were suffering from both the immediate loss of animals within their herd as well as movement restrictions and financial inconvenience, he said. “For example, in 2007/08 TB slaughterings amounted to 16,192 milking cows or 0.8% of the dairy herd which contributed over 114 million litres to the milk pool.”

Slaughterings were likely to continue and he predicted this figure could increase to over 21,000 head, representing more than 1% of the dairy herd. “There is also the knock on effect of lost lifetime performance, as well as herd genetics. These losses are undoubtedly reducing the number of replacements available, and equally alarming, they are making a significant contribution to the increase in imports,” says Mr Cotton.

“We are aware of the importance of the rural vote in this election, therefore we would urge candidates to support scientific findings which indicate the only way to control TB not only in cattle, but also in badgers is to hit hard all sides of the disease.”

He welcomed the conservative party’s support for a targeted cull in England. “We look forward to the next Government reviewing current policy and implementing one that will prove both efficient and cost effective by controlling and eradicating TB.”