A WEST country MP has criticised the government for not coming up with a national solution to Bovine TB in cattle.

Following publication of the Independent Scientific Group's report on Bovine TB Andrew George, MP for the West Cornwall constituency of St Ives, told South West Farmer: "Clearly, the government has not come up with a national solution to what still remains a localised and serious problem.

"Three years ago I recommended that the government devolves the power for the control of this disease to local action committees in areas where the problems are most intense.

"Whilst I acknowledge that the widespread extermination of the badger is neither politically, financially nor practically achievable, nor is the eradication of livestock farming from perpetual TB hotspots acceptable either.

"In any TB controlled policy wildlife campaigners have to accept that badgers will have to be culled, as not to put infected badgers out of their misery would be inhumane.

"Likewise, farmers are already beginning to learn to live with much stricter pre and post cattle movement tests and restrictions. But these have to be seen to be practical in order for farmers to be persuaded of their importance.

"Clearly, more work needs to be done improving the sensitivity of the cattle test, developing a live test for badgers, putting more resources into the State Veterinary Service, speeding up the removal of infected animals and the identification of an effective TB vaccine."

A survey of badger populations carried out by the Central Science Laboratory last year showed they were now as common as foxes across large parts of the countryside, and a targeted cull to reduce the incidence of bovine TB would not represent any threat to badger numbers overall.

The survey was carried out in the spring and autumn of 2006 in four study regions in Cornwall, Devon, Gloucestershire and Herefordshire. Researchers found that badger population densities in open pasture were 4.3 per square kilometre in Devon, 3.3 per sq km in Gloucestershire, 2.9 per sq km in Cornwall and 1.5 per sq km in Herefordshire.

These were broadly similar to the numbers of foxes found in open pasture in the four study areas, and significantly higher than numbers of hares and deer.

NFU deputy president Meurig Raymond said the survey confirmed that there were no wildlife conservation reasons why a TB cull should not go ahead, and at least two good reasons why it should.

"This removes another potential obstacle to tackling the TB reservoir in wildlife," he said. "The badger is clearly thriving across large parts of the west of the country. A targeted cull aimed at diseased social groups would make very little difference to numbers overall, and surely it would be in the interests of badgers to have a healthy badger population along with avoiding the spread of bovine TB from badgers to cattle and other wildlife."

With about 2,845 herds currently under restrictions due to Bovine TB, Dr Martin Yeates at Kingshay said: "The cornerstone of the government control measures is routine testing and subsequent culling.

"It's vital to remain alert to changes in these rules, for example some may not have noticed that TB testing now falls within cross-compliance requirements.

"You must provide evidence of a clear TB test within 60 days prior to moving cattle, or have a valid exemption, otherwise it will be a breach of cross-compliance rules and put your single payment at risk."

This month the Independent Scientific Group on Cattle TB called for tighter controls on cattle movements claiming they "can reverse the rising incidence of disease, and halt its geographical spread."

Environment Secretary David Miliband has indicated he is unlikely to bow to farmers' pressure to give the go-ahead for a large-scale cull of badgers in the hotspot of the South West.

There were 1,551 outbreaks of TB in cattle last year, affecting five per cent of herds. NFU president Peter Kendall said he wanted urgent meetings with Defra ministers to devise a culling strategy that would make a worthwhile difference to the disease.

"I simply do not accept that the industry cannot devise a culling strategy that will reduce the reservoir of TB in badgers," he said.

"Better testing and tighter controls on cattle movements will be worthless unless something is done to stop the relentless cycle of re-infection of cattle in the TB hotspot areas by disease spreading from badgers."

Chairman of the ISG, Professor John Bourne, of Bristol University, said: "It remains primarily a disease of cattle passed between cattle."

n Read Andrew George's article on Bovine TB for South West Farmer on Page 5.