County ruled out as TB trial site (From Western Telegraph)

County ruled out as TB trial site

Pembrokeshire has been ruled out as a possible trial site to examine the links between bovine TB and badgers.

Welsh Rural Affairs Minister Carwyn Jones says there are no plans to establish further trial sites in addition to the ten already operating.

All ten are in England, and this has upset livestock farmers in Pembrokeshire whose livelihoods are blighted by TB.

Rebecca Williams, Pembrokeshire county executive officer of the Farmers Union of Wales, says the rising number of disease outbreaks in Pembrokeshire, Ceredigion and Carmarthenshire is worrying.

Farmers feel that not enough is being done to resolve this problem and believe it has the potential to be as serious as foot and mouth, she said. It is costing them a lot of money to eradicate the disease from their farms. They are happy to do this but feel that they are doing so with their hands tied behind their backs when there is another pool of disease out there which is not being dealt with. If it is being dealt with in cattle it must be dealt with in badgers too.

Carwyn Jones insists the Welsh Assembly is acutely aware of the risks posed by the incidence of bovine TB in Wales.

Extra temporary veterinary inspectors are being employed to tackle the backlog in testing created by the foot and mouth outbreak.

Further measures had also been put in place to prevent spread of the disease, said Mr Jones.

Animals from restricted herds can only move, under licence, to slaughter and these restrictions can also be placed on at risk herds whose tests are overdue, he adds.

The results of all TB tests are recorded in Animal Health Offices to monitor spread of the disease.

Although Carwyn Jones has ruled out trial sites in Wales, the State Veterinary Service is examining other ideas to control the disease in problem areas such as Pembrokeshire. It is unlikely that an effective vaccine will be available for many years.

In the meantime, it is vital that all concerned play their part in controlling the spread of bovine TB, says Mr Jones. It is vitally important that all cattle keepers co-operate with their veterinary surgeon in completing their tuberculin test promptly.