Shropshire cattle slaughters rise in bovine TB fight
The number of cattle slaughtered in Shropshire as part of the fight against bovine TB increased once again last year, despite a drop in the national figure.
Nationally, some 32,620 cattle were compulsorily slaughtered as a result of TB in 2013, down from 37,734 animals in 2012, new figures from the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs show.
But in Shropshire, 2,125 animals were destroyed, up from 1,976 in 2012. At the disease's worst point, in May, 312 animals were killed.
The total number of new incidents in the county also climbed from 348 to 352, while separate figures also show that the cull did not end at cattle – the disease also hit an alpaca farm in the county, leading to at least one of the South American animals being killed to combat TB's spread.
By the end of the year, 401 herds in the county were subject to government movement restrictions in an attempt to stop it moving into more animals. That is one third of the total in the north of England, in which Shropshire is classed for the figures.
Mid Wales, meanwhile, fared much better, with the 1,213 animals slaughtered in north and south Powys the lowest number since records began in 2008, and a significant drop on the 1,718 killed the year before. It now has 264 restricted herds.
Environment Secretary and North Shropshire MP Owen Paterson said: "These stats are a sobering reminder of the devastating impact that bovine TB is having on our dairy and cattle farms. In Shropshire alone, more than 2,000 cattle were slaughtered last year due to this disease.
"We cannot allow this situation to continue. That is why I am determined that we do everything we can to eradicate bovine TB, which includes addressing the disease both in cattle and badgers.
"We have strict controls in place to limit the spread of disease among cattle herds, but the science and experience of countries such as Ireland is clear that we will not get on top of this disease unless we also deal with the reservoir of TB in wildlife."
In the neighbouring counties to Shropshire, 891 animals were culled in Cheshire, 2,959 in Staffordshire, and 2,622 in Hereford and Worcester.
See also: New TB slaughter figures add fuel to badger cull debate
Star comment: We need to look at badger cull facts
