Russell George, AM for Montgomeryshire, has previously called on the Welsh Government to adopt a comprehensive, scientifically-led programme of bovine TB eradication, recognising that stringent cattle controls and additional biosecurity will not be sufficient in eradicating this disease.
This week, (Tuesday 18th October), the Cabinet Secretary for Environment & Rural Affairs, Lesley Griffiths AM, announced that the Welsh Government were ruling out the culling of badgers in favour of dividing Wales into five different regions with low, intermediate and high incidence of the disease with different approaches to tackling the disease in each area. Ministers will also implement deeper and more sensitive testing of herds and consider whether to allow cage-trapping and killing by injection of infected badgers found on affected farms. For farms where there are persistent breakdowns, individual action plans will be developed in partnership with farmers, vets and the Animal and Plant Health Agency.
During a 12-week consultation, the Welsh Government will seek views on the measures that should be applied to each area.
Following the announcement, Mr George said:
“The Welsh Government have a track record of failing to tackle Bovine TB and this plan doesn’t go far enough to eradicate this awful disease.
“Bovine TB continues to cause devastating personal and financial distress on farming families in rural communities across Powys and the lack of a coherent plan has been hugely damaging.
Mr George recently took part in a debate in the National Assembly which urged the Welsh Government to take decisive action to tackle bovine TB. He took the opportunity to read a heart-wrenching letter from a local Montgomeryshire farmer who has been affected by Bovine TB (see notes).
Mr George added:
“Farmers are pleading for the Welsh Government to stop dithering on this issue. Any strategy to combat TB needs to be hammered out with the close involvement of farmers, farming unions, scientists and rural communities to develop a comprehensive strategy which includes all the tools at the Welsh Government’s disposal to ensure we eliminate Bovine TB once and for all in both our cattle and wildlife population.
“While I welcome some of the measures contained in this new approach, the proposal to divide Wales into regions based on risk must be proportionate to ensure that farmers do not face impossibly stringent controls.
“Farmers in Wales need to see an holistic TB strategy that learns from other countries and if necessary difficult decisions will have to made.
“Farmers are being encouraged to make their views known during this period of consultation.”
Consultation on TB Eradication Programme
The consultation on a refreshed TB Eradication Programme is available on the Welsh Government website: https://consultations.gov.wales/consultations/refreshed-tb-eradication-programme
Extract from a Montgomeryshire Farmer to Russell George AM on the effect of Bovine TB
“We are a small farm and have a closed herd which is sadly losing its animals at a rapid pace due to the spread of Bovine TB. We have not bought any cattle for 65 years and have no adjoining neighbours with cattle so the spread cannot be from cattle to cattle.
We had our first TB outbreak six years ago, and we hoped we would never have to go through this devastation again. After a routine test, we had reactors which sadly had to be slaughtered; these were heavily in calf cows, but under Animal welfare regulations they cannot travel if it's less than 28 days before they are due to calve so they are subjected to on farm slaughter. However, the baby calf will slowly suffocate inside the womb - a cruel barbaric way to die, and the most emotional event anyone could witness.
The same on farm slaughter is carried out if the cow has given birth to her new baby calf within the last 7 days. The TB reactor cow will be shot, leaving behind her new-born baby calf who will then be an orphan.
Again, this is a really devastatingly emotional experience especially when you are the person that has reared that cow from birth, and has also helped her previous generations into the world.
Although we don't seem to be getting rid of the disease, it’s like we are going round and round in circles but not dealing with the prevention of TB.
In England, when a cow is TB tested and the calf is due to calf within 28 days, the cow is allowed to stay on the farm in isolation, the calf will be naturally born and the mother is removed after 7 days of giving birth.”
And in Ireland, if a herd has TB reactors, a 3 kilometre radius to that farm will have all the badgers culled. Why doesn’t the Welsh Government learn from experience from neighbouring countries which show that a two pronged approach is necessary to deal with the disease in wildlife for the successful eradication of Bovine TB.”