The action plan to eradicate bovine TB in Wales, which includes a pilot badger cull, has been supported by the Welsh Assembly.
Rural Affairs minister Elin Jones announced the comprehensive programme on April 8th and it was supported by a majority of AMs after debate.
The plan includes measures to test all cattle herds across Wales in order to measure the extent of infection, remove all sources of infection on farms and to review the compensation system.
advertisement
The programme is backed by £27m of funding over the next three years.
Elin Jones said: "There is no single solution to bovine TB. The approach to eradicate this disease has to be comprehensive, taking all factors into account.
"There is no point tackling one source of infection and ignoring another. This would only allow the infection to return."
As well as a badger cull, the intensive action pilot area will also include enhanced cattle measures.
Ms Jones added: "Increased surveillance, improved reactor removal time, increased biosecurity, pre-movement testing and movement controls will be considered as part of heightened cattle measures to remove the reservoir of disease in cattle and to protect against onward transmission and potential re-infection.
"We have a considerable amount of work to do in considering all the options for the intensive action pilot area, including its location, size, duration and method of culling.
"When considering these options we will be working closely with the farming industry and wildlife experts. In order to carry out this work thoroughly, it is unlikely to be completed before the autumn.
"What I want to see in Wales is healthy cattle and healthy wildlife. This programme is comprehensive, practical and proportionate - it will tackle this disease head on."
In 2007, 7,905 cattle were culled as part of TB controls in Wales and the cost of compensation was £15.2m.
Areas of Pembrokeshire and Monmouthshire have some of the highest levels of confirmed disease in cattle per km2 in the UK.
If you liked this article and would like to share it with others on the web who might be searching for good content we've made it easy for you to do it.
At the bottom of all articles, you'll see links to six sites. These sites - commonly called 'social bookmark' or 'social news' sites - have large communities of web users who share and rate interesting, useful and fun things on the web.
Clicking the links will automatically add the address of the story you are reading to one of these sites, letting you share it with others. Each site will ask you to register to share stories. Registration is free and once a member, you can store, recommend and search for stories that interest you.
Print
Email this
