A NEW plan to eradicate bovine TB that includes a targeted badger cull in high-risk areas has been welcomed by farmers’ unions.

But the Welsh Government has given assurances that the plans for badgers are confined to farms with chronic breakdown herds. The plan is also to trap, test and if possible humanely kill the badger.

The ‘Refreshed Bovine TB Programme’, launched by the cabinet secretary for environment and rural affairs, Lesley Griffiths, includes the establishment of low, intermediate and high TB areas across Wales from October 1 this year.

North Pembrokeshire is already part of an intensive action area to combat the disease.

At the core of the measures are rules on restricting cattle movements and intensive testing in high TB areas.

The cabinet secretary for Environment has published a strengthened TB Eradication Programme, which commits to taking a more regionalised approach to eliminating the disease in Wales.

Enhanced measures will be applied in each TB area tailored to protect the low TB area and reduce the disease in the intermediate and high TB areas.

The enhanced controls include introducing post-movement testing in the low TB Areas from October 1. The aim is tol protect the area by identifying infected animals at the earliest opportunity, before they can go on to infect others.

This measure will also be introduced in the intermediate TB Areas next year to stop the risk of the disease spreading from the neighbouring high TB areas.
Chronic breakdown herds will have individual action plans with disease control measures specifically aimed at clearing up infection in cattle.

A  range of options to reduce the risk of disease spread, including cage-trapping, testing and where necessary humanely killing infected badgers, will be considered.

But lesley Griffiths said she continued to rule out the large scale culling of badgers that is being applied in England.
Responding to the announcement, FUW bovine TB Spokesman Brian Walters, said: ‘‘As expected, the refreshed Welsh TB programme continues to focus almost entirely on cattle controls and the FUW has continued to reiterate members concerns regarding the implementation of measures such as regionalisation, without significant measures to tackle the disease in wildlife.

“However, whilst we recognise that many of our members will be frustrated by the new rules, many of the FUW’s key concerns have been allayed and the union is pleased that the Welsh Government has listened to many of the issues outlined in our consultation response.”  

NFU Cymru has welcomed the announcement on bovine TB as a ‘step forward’ in tackling the disease in Wales.

NFU Cymru President Stephen James said: “For many years NFU Cymru has stated that the only way to truly address bovine TB in Wales is to address the disease in both the cattle and wildlife populations.

“The announcement acknowledges the presence of the disease in wildlife and provides positive measures on how to do this, including the trapping and testing of badgers on farms experiencing chronic breakdowns, where there is evidence of infection in the badger population.

“This targeted approach will mean that only diseased badgers are culled and this is a step forward towards achieving the government and industry’s shared aim of a bovine TB-free Wales.”

Meanwhile Badger Trust Cymru accused the Welsh Labour government of breaking an election pledge over culling of badgers.

Steve Clark, chair of Badger Trust Cymru, said: “We are extremely disappointed that the environment secretary has chosen to ignore the science and proceed with an unproven exercise to kill badgers on farms with a history of bovine TB. Lesley Griffiths is also breaking a promise not to cull badgers until other measures have proved ineffective.”

Speaking at the Senedd on Tuesday, the cabinet secretary said: “Over the last few years we have made real progress towards eradicating TB in Wales. The number of new incidents has fallen by over 40% since its peak in 2009 and currently 95% of herds in Wales are TB free.
“I have listened to the industry’s responses to our consultation and have fed what was appropriate and reasonable into the programme.

“This should not be seen as exclusively a Government plan; it has been developed through consultation with industry, and will be reviewed over time. I now call on the farming industry and veterinary profession to play a full part. Together we can achieve our goal of a TB free Wales.”

The new TB Eradication Programme and Delivery Plan are available on the Welsh Government website: gov.wales/topics/environmentcountryside