Wales Farmer March 2013 NEWS


Debbie James rounds up the latest news in the fightagainst Bovine TB


Badger vaccine cost slammed


THERE has been renewed criticism of Wales’ badger vaccination policy as newfigures reveal thatitcost £662 to vaccinate each badger. The Welsh Government spent £943,000 on vaccinating 1,424 badgers in the north PembrokeshireIntensive Action Area butisnot certain what percentage of the region’s badger population this represents. The Welsh Government’sown


estimate suggests thatthe five year project will cost “in the region of £4,725,000”.


NFU Cymru’sdeputy president,


Stephen James,described the vaccination programme as “flawed”, insisting it wasbased on political expediency rather than scientific fact. “Hereweare with apolicy that


in our opinion wasnot supported by the evidence put forwardwithin the scientific reviewcommissioned by the Welsh Government thatis costing nearly £1 million annually to deliveravaccine costing £26,000,”hesaid. “Manyofthe badgers


vaccinated arealreadysuffering


disease so the vaccine will not be effective and these animals will continue to excrete infection into the countryside. “This would almost be


laughableifitwasn’t forthe seriousness of the situation on farms in Wales as highlighted by the most recent bovine TB statistics.” In the last decade morethan


75,000 cattle have been slaughtered in Wales due to bovine TB.Latest figures show1,741 holdings are under restriction, arise of 558% since 1998.


Study probes illegalkilling of badgers


MORE than 10 per cent of Welsh livestock farmers may


have illegally killed badgers. According to aresearch study


carried out at Bangor University, around onein10ofthe 14,000 farmers in Wales had killed badgers, and forcattle farmers the figureis higher,at14.5%. The data wasgathered from 428


farmers at agricultural shows and livestock markets in Wales between June and September 2011. Amethod known as randomised


response technique (RRT) wasused to compile the study. Adice is rolled to allowrespondents protection for answering sensitive questions truth- fully. The report waspublished on the peer-reviewedjournal website, PLOS ONE. Paul


Cross,ofBangor


University’sschool of environment, natural resources and geography, said policymakers should consider the results of the studyinthe wider debate on bovine TB. “Intensive badger culling is one approach being considered by poli-


cy makers,inanattempt to control the spread of tuberculosis in cattle,” said Dr Cross. “However,studies investigating


the effects of badger culling on TB outbreaks in cattle have not factored in the prevalence of illegal badger killing, and its potential to spread disease.” Nick Fenwick, the Farmers’


Union of Wales’ (FUW) director of policy,said the union did not accept the figures. “The onlyreliabledatawehave


on the illegal killing of badgers comes from post-mortems carried out by vets on around 600 badgers, which showedthat98.5% had died naturallyorfromcollisions with cars,” he said. “Only1.5% showedsuspicious


injuries,and none of these were linked to farmers. “Thatfigureisbased upon asolid


scientific result gained by actually studying dead badgers and what killed them, whereas the figures published by Bangor University and others arebased upon getting a


bunch of people to roll dice and change their answers based on the number the dice comes up with.” Dr Fenwick said the vast majori-


ty of farmers were law-abiding citi- zens. “About 20% of the UK badger


population is killed each year by traffic, so if anything can be blamed forspreading TB by causing distur- bance to social groups it is our traf- fic,”headded. In response to the report,aWelsh


Government spokesman said there was‘no quick fix’ to tackling the disease. “It demands asustainableand


long termapproach and the applica- tion of acomprehensive range of measures including strict biosecuri- ty,cattle testing and movement con- trols,” said the spokesman. “Last year we vaccinated over


1,400 badgers against TB and will resume vaccination later this year. “Badgers areprotected animals in


the UK and the issue of illegally killing them is thereforeamatter for the police.”


Farmersfacing tighter movement restrictions


THE Welsh Government has announced afurther tightening of cattle movement restrictions in an attempt to halt the spread of bovine TB.


From April 1st therewill be two


keyamendments to current pre- movement testing exemptions. In futurecattle which don’t meet


pre-movement testing requirements can onlybereturned to their origi- nal holding and not to anyother holding as wasthe risk previously. Thereisalso akey change to the


rules relating to cattle thatgraze common land. Cattle will no longer be allowedtotravelbetween farms thatsharecommon rights.The exemption will applyonlytocattle travelling between their registered holding and acommon wheretheir owner has rights of grazing. Environment minister John


Griffiths also announced thatanew dedicated TB epidemiologist would


be appointed in April to focus on specific areas or clusters of disease. And in common with England,


approved quarantine units (AQUs) will be phased out. This will end the movement of clean calves from TB breakdown farms to the marketvia AQUs. “Wewill work closelywith opera-


tors to begin closing down the two existing AQUs with aviewtocom- pleting the process by the end of 2013,”said Mr Griffiths. He believesatightening of move-


ment restrictions is necessary to deliverahigher levelofprotection to cattle against bovine TB. Farmers dealing with break-


downs have been promised more advice and support and this could include involving private vets more in the process. “With the newtools Ihaveout-


lined, we areaddressing TB in live- stock and wildlife and maintaining


an effective eradication programme forthe benefit of farmers,rural communities and the economyin general,”MrGriffiths insisted. During the year ending in


October 2012, therewereover1,100 newherdincidents in Wales and over 9,000 cattle were slaughtered. In the same period, the Welsh Government paid out almost £17 million in compensation. Mr Griffiths,who deliveredhis


futurestrategy at aplenary session of the Welsh Government, referred to the recent death of awest Wales dairy farmer following abull attack while testing his herdfor TB. “Werelyonthe farming commu-


nity fortheir continued support in carrying out TB testing and am con- scious thatthis does come with some risk. It waswith greatsadness thatIlearnt of the tragic incident whereafarmer waskilled during a TB test on his farm.”


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Rough Hill, Marston-cum-Lache, Chester,CheshireCH4 9JS. Tel: 01244 629478 For the latest Wales farming news: walesfarmer.co.uk


WELFARE CHECK: On avisit to Llandovery mart are (left to right) Huw Davies, of Dafadfa Uchaf, Gwynfe; Huw Morgan, of Nantgwynne, Llanddeusant; Cllr Jim Jones, and auctioneer Derfel Harries, of Clee Tompkinson &Francis.


Mart visit puts animal welfareastop priority


THE welfareofanimals was the top priority during avisit to Llandovery mart. Carmarthenshirecounty councillor Jim Jones,execu- tive boardmember forenvi- ronmental and public protec- tion, visited Llandovery mart with animal health officer Rachel Phillips to learn how council officers check on the welfareofanimals. Cllr Jones said: “I went to


see formyself howour ani- mal health officers go about their work of ensuring the welfareofthe animals. “This is important not onlyfor the animals butalso


benefits the general public. “It wasavery interesting


and useful visit and Iwas very encouraged to see how well respected our officers are by the farmers and the mart.” Animal health officers


from tradingstandards regu- larly inspect marketpremises ensuring compliance with various pieces of legislation and also offer advice and guidance on legalrequire- ments,which can be difficult to interpret and understand. Senior animal health offi-


cer Phillip Evans said: “The reason forthese inspections is to ensurethatwhilst at the


market, and during transport to and from the market, the animals areproperly cared foratall times. “This not onlysafeguards


the welfareand conditions of the animals themselves but also the general public in that when the animals aretaken to the abattoir they arein prime condition and free from diseases.Animalsthat have been well looked after will result in abetter prod- uct.”


The increase in the fre-


quency of marketvisits is a direct result of the foot and mouth outbreak in 2000.


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