Farmers call for culling programme after recent Defra figures
The Welsh Government has ruled out large scale badger culls, such as those being carried out in England.
Official figures recently suggested that incidence of bovine TB has fallen in Gloucestershire and Somerset. bTB levels are reported to be around half what they were before the four-year pilot badger culls began in the two areas.
Culling has since been rolled out to 11 new areas in England.
In response, the Farmers’ Union of Wales urged the government to reinstate the Intensive Action Area badger cull, which was abolished and replaced with the badger vaccination programme.
However, a spokesperson for the Welsh Government confirmed that it will not be introducing a large scale cull.
The statement said: “The Cabinet Secretary for Energy, Planning and Rural Affairs continues to rule out an England style badger cull.
“In Wales we have adopted a comprehensive approach towards the eradication of bovine TB which focusses on all sources of infection. Evidence shows that most causes of bTB in cattle in Wales results from cattle to cattle transmission.
“Badgers are only trapped and tested where evidence suggests they are contributing to the persistence of TB in chronic breakdown herds.
"Targeted interventions are being applied to remove test positive badgers, helping stop transmission and clearing up chronically infected herds, which are costly to the taxpayer and industry.”
Defra has published guidance for the vet sector ahead of a proposed UK-EU Sanitary and Phytosanitary agreement.
