Dairy industry welcomes anti-bovine TB measures

Feb 28 2008 by Sam Wood, The Journal

DAIRY farming representatives have welcomed anti-bovine TB measures which include plans to cull badgers.

The Royal Association of British Dairy Farmers (RABDF) says the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs committee report’s multi-faceted approach should be implement as soon as possible.

RABDF chairman Lyndon Edwards said: “We support this independent group of MPs’ balanced approach to bTB control in both cattle and badgers.

“We also welcome the fact that the report has called for a review of the table valuation system for slaughtered cattle which it deemed as unfair and inequitable for many farmers.

“Environment Secretary Hillary Benn should accept the report recommendations.”

The Efra committee report said badger culling should be given the go-ahead to tackle TB in cattle in areas at high risk of the disease – but only under certain conditions.

But it also said farmers, who have been demanding a cull to stop spiralling rates of the disease in herds, must accept it would not form a cornerstone of Government policy.

The committee said a cull alone would not be a suitable method of controlling the disease in cattle in all areas and could not be applied nationwide.

As a result, it proposes that licences to cull should only be granted if conditions set by the Independent Scientific Group were met.

They include that it should be done competently, effectively, be co-ordinated, cover as large an area as possible and where there are boundaries which will stop other badgers carrying the disease in from outside the cull area.

The Government’s strategy, says the report, should also include looking at more frequent testing for TB, the introduction of post-movement testing in low-risk areas and more effective ways of encouraging farmers to practise good biosecurity on their farms.

With the annual cost to the taxpayer of the disease set to hit £300m, the Efra committee said further procras- tination by the Government on its strategy for dealing with cattle TB was unacceptable. The findings have already been welcomed by other farming organisations.

RABDF chairman Mr Edwards described the report findings as common sense.

He added: “That common sense decision needs to be implemented at the very earliest if this insidious disease is to be arrested and a strategic way forward introduced for our beleaguered livestock sector.”