A PEMBROKESHIRE dairy farmer who has seen his herd decimated by bovine TB has described the heavy toll it is taking on his family, not least his young daughter.

Stuart Williams said two-year-old Eva asked, “When are they coming back’’ as the latest TB casualties were shipped from the farmyard.

She also asked, “What about the rest?’’

“This is a question I just can’t answer,’’ admitted Mr Williams, who before the first herd breakdown in 2020 was winning awards exhibiting Willhome Ayrshires, Brown Swiss and Holsteins at major events.

The herd had its first ever TB breakdown just two months after Eva was born; then on December 30, 2021, they lost their 240th animal and now just 72 milkers are going through the parlour at Home Farm, Leweston.

“For anyone who knows us as a family, you will see the pain in everyone’s eyes due to this awful experience, it’s taking away the past and the future too,’’ said Mr Williams.

“We have got to the stage now where we can’t take much more. Mentally it has messed us up and it is ruining all that we have ever built up, no-one should have to go through this strain.’’

Of the 48 milkers they bought in 2020, only 10 now remain.

“Common sense suggests it's not sustainable for any business to run like that and, more importantly, the mental impact on everyone,’’ said Mr Williams.

As he stood watching the latest load of cows leaving the yard, with his father, Philip, and Eva, by his side, he said he couldn’t help questioning what the future holds for his family.

“I may not know the answer to that, but I know for sure something has got to give and policies need to change because I want to be able to answer Eva’s questions and let her know that she has a future in farming if she wants it.’’

In the 12 months to September 2021, there were 664 new herd incidents reported in Wales – an 8 per cent increase on the previous year, when there were 617 new incidents.

Meanwhile, in the year to September 2021, 10,551 cattle were slaughtered due to bovine TB control; this is a 4 per cent increase on the previous 12 months, when 10,124 cattle were slaughtered.

In June 2021, First Minister Mark Drakeford said that under the Labour-led administration the Welsh TB eradication strategy would not include the culling of badgers.

The Conservatives in the Senedd have warned that bovine TB will not disappear in Wales with the current eradication strategy.

“Bovine TB is a horrendous disease and one the Labour Government have persistently failed to tackle thanks to decade of failed strategies, consultations and avoiding the evidence from other countries who have eradicated this disease, says shadow rural affairs minister Samuel Kurtz MS.

“It is little wonder then that hundreds of thousands of cattle have been slaughtered, wildlife continue to suffer from this horrific disease and farmers deal with the mental anguish from Welsh government policy failures.’’

But in its recently published Animal Health and Welfare Implementation Plan, the Welsh government said its TB eradication programme was built on ‘sound evidence’ and that it continually sought to update its approach as research findings emerged.