I would like to make several points to be considered by the Agricultural Committee concerning Badger and Bovine TB.

  Six years ago, September 1992 my wife and I moved a herd of pedigree Holstein Friesian dairy cows from Harrogate North Yorkshire to our present address. All the animals were born and bred in either Yorkshire or Cumbria, where we were subjected to four yearly testing in those counties. It could be safely assummed that when our cattle were moved to Gloucestershire they had had no contact with TB and were totally clear of TB.

  We had our first case in March 1995 when we lost two cows through compulsory slaughter and were closed for six months and had animals in isolation for 10 months. We estimate this cost us approximately £25,000 in lost revenue and increased costs. We only have a small herd of 40 milk cows and followers (40). We are Pedigree registered and a third of our income came from the sale of surplus milk heifers.

  Having got rid of TB we were clear until February 1997 when we lost one more animal and again had the inconvenience of being closed until June 1997.

  We have been clear from June 1997 until now, November 1998 when so far we have had one reactor, seven inconclusive, two of which are fairly severe. It is possible at the moment that we may lose 20 per cent of our milking herd.

  After the first outbreak we altered our management in a vain attempt to stop the TB problem on our farm. There are certain fields we will not graze at night and use electric fencing up the hedgerows to keep cattle away from areas known to be used by the badgers.

  One of the issues more recently raised is the possibility of a relationship between trace element deficiency and susceptibility to TB. I refer back to when our herd was in Yorkshire when we had problems with Selenium and Copper deficiency. The two trace elements that are being cited by Badger groups as being significant in the TB susceptibility. When in Yorkshire our cattle were initially injected with a selenium supplement and given copper bolus. Vitamin E which was necessary for the selenium to be effective was put into a tailor made mineral for us at a rate of 4000 IU. We then had selenium and copper included in the mineral at maximum tolerance. Considering the deficiencies in this part of Yorkshire is it not rather surprising that the level of TB in this area is nil. It may not help the TB situation if the problem of TB is already there but I doubt if it is in any way a causal factor.

  An interesting fact about our break downs is that the cattle that have been slaughtered and have had lesions have been a cow and her grand-daughter. This could, on a small scale like this, turn out to be pure coincidence, though breeding, genetic susceptability/resistance to either the disease or causes of TB would be of great interest to me. We have been able to test bulls in AI for Factor XI, Blad, Mule Foot etc and I would breed resistant cattle if it was possible to do so.

  I would also like to draw your attention to Public expenditure implications. I realise that at the present moment in time there is full compensation payable for cattle slaughtered and this would represent somewhere in the region of a five fold increase in compensation. Before this in our first breakdown our costs were £25,000, the ministry paid us £1,500 in compensation. Farmers have had to bear this cost for many many years. They are also powerless "within" the law to do anything about the problem and therefore compensation should be payable. I also have deep suspicions that when the five years of Krebs experiment are up then Gordon Brown would be putting pressure on Nick Brown to reduce this payment. If I was in one of the areas where there will be no removal of Badgers I would be most concerned about this situation. We are actually in one of the experimental areas.

  On the point of animal welfare I think that all the animals should be treated on the same basis. Lactating sows are exempt yet a cow calving may go for slaughter upto calving and therefore the calf is also killed. I also do not see anymore humane way of catching badgers than by the cage traps.

  I think on the point of the Government's implementation of bovine TB research strategies that the Thornbury area experiment of 20 years ago should not be ignored. It is quite likely that TB is passing both ways between badgers and cattle but at the moment when cattle are being slaughtered the badgers could have a free run of six months before the Badger Removal operation takes place. The circle is therefore never broken.

  In my opinion it is sheer folly to wait until there is a breakdown before more frequent testing takes place. We farm on the Gloucestershire/Hereford border and there are cases where near neighbours could be on three year testing when we are on annual. I think it would be wise to start testing in counties that could act as a buffer zone. Already Hereford is becoming a hot county and I would put all neighbouring counties to Hereford on annual testing. Otherwise a problem could have up to three years to get a hold before the problem is identified. It is no good shutting the stable door when the horse has bolted.

11 December 1998