Culling of badgers not answer

I was disheartened to read your article October 23, "Badger cull wins support in TB fight". It failed to mention some facts which I wish to put forward.

Research was carried out for the Government by the Independent Scientific Group into the effects of badger culling on TB in cattle. This took eight years, cost the lives of more than 11,000 badgers and cost us £34 million.

On concluding the research ISG chairman, Professor John Bourne, told the BBC that it would have little impact on controlling the disease in cattle and "could make it worse".

The research does indeed confirm that badger culling actually increases bovine TB. Pro-active culling of badgers creates a 20 per cent reduction of cattle diagnosed with TB.

However, movement of disturbed badgers on the perimeters of culling areas increases incidences by 27 per cent. Research also showed that 80 per cent of cases are caused by cattle-to-cattle infection and it has been suggested more stringent testing of cattle could be a more effective way of tackling the problem.

Susie Woodyet, Wellington