Threatening: The slogans daubed on the NFU offices in Carmarthen and (below) in Haverfordwest.

Badger group and farmers condemn protesters' action A Pembrokeshire farming family which has just lost nearly half its milking herd to bovine TB says animal rights activists who endorsed violent action against farmers to protect badgers show no compassion for cows being culled because of the disease.

The Dixon family, of Waterston Farm, Hayscastle, had 80 British Friesians culled after a heifer they bought from Cardigan livestock market was found to have TB.

The cows reacted to the gamma interferon blood test but post mortems at the abattoir revealed that none of the animals had lesions.

Margaret Dixon says the loss has been heartbreaking.

"I can't describe how it felt to have all 80 cattle and a stock bull taken away in one morning. I think it will take us a long time to get over this," she said.

The Welsh Assembly's animal health department has told the family they can buy replacement heifers, as long as they are kept separately from the rest of the herd. But they have been advised not to source stock from Wales because of the risk of buying in more animals with TB.

The disease breakdown at Waterston Farm came just days before protesters, believed to be from the Animal Liberation Front, painted graffiti on NFU offices across Wales, including Haverfordwest and Carmarthen.

The most chilling message was painted on the walls of the Carmarthen offices, threatening violence against farmers with a slogan which read Cull farmers not badgers'.

Other messages daubed on the buildings included ALF' and No cull'.

It comes after Welsh rural affairs minister Elin Jones announced a plan to attempt to eradicate bovine TB in Wales, including a pilot cull of badgers in a TB hotspot.

The action by the Animal Liberation Front has not only been condemned by the union and farmers, but also by Badger Trust Cymru.

Local spokesman, Michael Sharratt, who lives in Whitland, said the pro-badger organisation would never condone violence or direct action.

"We have co-operated with the Welsh Assembly throughout. This issue has to be resolved through a process of negotiation, not violence," said Mr Sharratt.

"Culling of badgers is very serious, the culling of any animal, cattle included, is very serious. The science suggests that culling badgers isn't going to solve the TB problem in cattle but targeting the farming community is the wrong way to convince the Welsh Assembly that a cull is unnecessary."

Malcolm Thomas, director of NFU Cymru, also condemned the attack on the NFU offices.

He said: "This sort of action helps no-one at all. We have a pernicious disease that requires action on both the cattle and wildlife fronts. This will require joint action by all concerned in order to produce a holistic response. No-one wants to see diseased cattle or diseased badgers."

In 1997, 669 cattle were slaughtered in Wales because of TB, but last year that figure had risen to 7,905.

3:10pm Monday 30th June 2008

Print

Email this