THE number of cattle slaughtered because of bovine TB has risen by 34% in Wales.

According to Defra’s latest official figures for Wales, 9,630 TB-infected cattle were slaughtered in Wales in the 12 months to August 2016 compared to 7,178 in the previous 12 months.

The figures were published as NFU Cymru president Stephen James and policy adviser Peter Howells gave evidence to the National Assembly for Wales’ Climate Change, Environment and Rural Affairs Committee, emphasising the emotional and financial strain bovine TB continued to place on farming families.

Mr James said there was deep frustration in the industry that the reservoir of infection that exists in wildlife had not been fully confronted.

“The disease must be actively removed from the badger population in areas where TB is endemic,’’ he said.

“We made it clear that future TB eradication measures implemented by the Welsh government should be based on sound evidence and science-based policy decision-making and that all sources of the disease must be tackled effectively if we’re ever to have any chance of eradicating bovine TB in Wales.”

Welsh ministers have ruled out a blanket cull of badgers but have suggested that a policy of cage trapping and killing infected badgers by lethal injection on affected farms may be considered.

Under the proposals, Wales could be divided up into three areas according to risk - low, intermediate and high incidence of disease. Carmarthenshire, Pembrokeshire and counties bordering the south-west of England would be categorised as high risk, with counties in north-west Wales, including Anglesey, classified as low risk.

Policies, including testing intervals, would be tailored on a regional basis with targeted culling a possibility in high-risk areas.

The Welsh government’s consultation on these proposals closes for comments on January 10.