On BBC Radio 4's Farming Today this morning a dairy farmer in Cheshire broke down whilst talking about TB. On Wednesday and Thursday 74 of his cattle had to be shot as they reacted to TB tests. The last TB on the farm was in 1956: the last animal bought into the herd was sixteen years ago. So where has the TB come from? His opinion, as a trained zoologist, was that wild animals are to blame and top of his list is the cuddly badger. He estimates that through the loss of these animals, the reduction in milk prices and loss of market for six weeks when his milk buyer went bust he has lost £330,000 this year. His business may not survive.
I carry no flag for either the farmers or animal rights but surely we as a society have gone wrong somewhere when 74 cattle who provide us with milk have to be shot but it is illegal to shoot wild animals with TB.
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