THE best solution to the bovine TB problem is Wales is vaccination of badgers, the Farmers' Union of Wales (FUW) has said.

However, the union’s TB spokesman Brian Walters said a tried and tested method or oral vaccination was ‘many years away’.

He added: “Some of those who oppose a cull say that catching and injecting badgers with a vaccine is the practical way forward, but this option was on the table 30 years ago and was laughed out of the room as being costly, impractical, and ineffective. I can’t see that anything has changed.”

Rural affairs minister Elin Jones says she will consider the use of a vaccine and a working group has been set up to develop a vaccination policy in Wales.

An oral vaccine for badgers will not be available for potential use until 2015 at the earliest.