A MOVE to link bovine TB compensation to on-farm practices ahead of a pilot badger cull in north Pembrokeshire would be premature, say farmers whose businesses have been hit by the disease.

Millions of pounds are paid in compensation every year for cattle slaughtered because of TB. Many of the affected farms are in Pembrokeshire and this is the reason why 200 square kilometres of the county was named as Wales’ first “intensive action area” for a badger cull.

The Welsh Assembly wants to reduce the compensation payout and has drawn up a package of suggested measures, including linking payments to on-farm biosecurity.

But farmers argue that the disease is out of their control because they are prevented by law from taking control of possible infection from wildlife.

Pembrokeshire livestock farmer, Andrew Lewis, NFU county livestock chairman, knows only too well the effects of a TB breakdown. Although his farm near Newport is currently free of the disease, he has experienced first hand the financial hardships of a breakdown.

Mr Lewis says current compensation levels don’t take into account consequential losses and placing a further financial burden on farmers would be unfair.

“We need to wait for the results from the intensive treatment area before changes are made to the current system,” he says.

“When a farmer loses a cow to TB there is no compensation for the lost milk yield or for the time it takes to find the right replacement. To create further difficulties for farmers while the system remains as it is, would be unfair.”

Last year, more than 12,000 cattle were slaughtered because of TB — 52% more than in the previous year.

West Wales had the highest incidence of bovine TB in Britain and 60% of cattle being slaughtered because of the disease were in north Pembrokeshire.

A Welsh Assembly consultation paper unveiled earlier this month examines the responsibilities of herd owners, the principles of compensation and ways of encouraging good practice.

The paper suggests linking TB compensation to farm practices. But NFU Cymru president Dai Davies said there was little evidence to show which measures reduced the risk of an outbreak, particularly in areas where TB was present in wildlife.

“While we will support measures that can be proven practically on farm to reduce the incidence of TB, we have concerns with regard to a number of options proposed by WAG within this consultation paper.”

Farmers could not be expected to take on the entire responsibility for TB risk management, said Mr Davies.

And measures proposed in the consultation would have a significant impact on profitability.

Some farmers in hotspot areas had been under movement restrictions for more than 12 years.

To impose extra conditions and costs above and beyond the current veterinary risk assessments would be the final straw for many producers, warned Mr Davies.

The Farmers’ Union of Wales vice president, Brian Walters, said the current livestock valuation and compensation systems were an integral part of Welsh TB controls and should be retained, although irresponsible behaviour should be penalised.

Biosecurity studies had produced ambiguous results. Scientists had concluded there was no universal solution, as risk factors differed from year to year and region to region.

Measures linking compensation to biosecurity must therefore be statistically relevant and within a farmer’s control, said Mr Walters.