ONCE again, the Government is throwing away millions of pounds on a useless badger culling trial because bovine tuberculosis (bTB) is increasing in cattle, and badgers are getting the blame.
Ministers say culling badgers helps the welfare of cattle and badgers. This is nonsense.
Fewer than one per cent of the national herd is infected with bTB. Badgers rarely seem to suffer from the disease.
Since 1975, MAFF, now DEFRA, has killed more than 30,000 badgers. More than 80 per cent were not infected with bTB.
More importantly, most of the others did not seem to be infectious.
In other words, a few badgers carry bTB but appear to be immune to it and do not spread the disease.
The poor badger has enough to contend with many are run over on our roads or displaced by house building or killed illegally by farmers, land owners and badger baiters.
Please write to DEFRA, Nobel House, 17 Smith Square, London SW1P 3JR and ask that they stop this useless badger slaughter immediately.
(Mrs) M Harrison
Beaulieu Close, Toothill
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