Almost 2,000 cows have been slaughtered in Shropshire in the past 12 months to combat bovine TB, new figures have revealed.
Latest Government figures show that in June, 115 cattle were killed in Shropshire in a bid to fight the disease. It brings the total number of cattle culled in the county over the past 12 months to just under 2,000. In the full year 2015, 1,911 cattle were killed, in 2014 the figure was 1,734. In 2013 it stood at 2,125. The new figures show Shropshire remains the second most TB-infected area in the West Midlands behind Staffordshire.
Andrew Bebb, who runs an organic dairy farm at Hanwood, near Shrewsbury, had his dairy herd tested yesterday. He said: It has been a very stressful week this week.
It is about this time of year we do our annual TB tests on the heard.
Fortunately we have been free of TB for six or seven years now, but you can never say never.
It is extremely worrying.
I know of farmers that don t sleep.
Oliver Cartwright, NFU spokesman, said: Bovine TB remains a huge threat to Shropshire s beef and dairy industry as shown by the latest figures and it is vital we do everything we can to tackle it.
The Government has given a clear commitment to tackling the disease in wildlife in areas where TB is endemic and their 25-year TB eradication strategy also includes strengthening cattle movement controls, vaccinating cattle, when available, and improved bio-security.
It has been proven without doubt that badgers are a reservoir of bTB and that disease transmits between badgers and cattle by a combination of direct and indirect contact.
Controlling the disease in wildlife, therefore, in areas where it is rife, is an absolutely vital part of any package of measures if we are to successfully get on top of this disease and stop reinfection occurring. Last month the Government expanded its controversial badger cull to five new areas despite opposition from campaigners and scientists that believe it is both expensive, ineffective, and inhumane.
Herefordshire, Gloucestershire, Cornwall, Devon and Dorset were added to the list of areas. Bridgnorth farmer Richard Yates previously said TB remains the single biggest issue facing farmers in the county and said badger culling is necessary to tackle the issue. He said: We have been shut down with bovine TB on several occasions.
On one occasion a vet came to me and said there are two types of farmer in Shropshire those with bovine TB and those that are going to get it.
Those words are still very relevant.