Cattle TB shows dramatic rise

Shropshire's bovine TB epidemic is getting worse, with figures expected to show a 50 per cent increase on last year's already record numbers of diseased livestock.

The situation is getting so bad that a county farmer is planning a protest at the Houses of Parliament next month - taking a trailer full of calves to unleash on Westminster.

Shrewsbury MP Daniel Kawczynski said he hoped the action would kickstart fresh talks on the possibility of a badger cull.

"The Government want to shunt Sir David King's report, which recommended a badger cull, into the long grass," he said.

"They don't want to commit the finances, they don't want to take on the Wildlife Trust and they don't want to take any action for fear of being more unpopular than they already are. Something must be done."

In 1997 figures show 47 cows were slaughtered in Shropshire as a result of bovine TB. In 2007 that figure had risen to 1,042 and this year it is expected to break the 1,500 barrier.

Early figures suggest it has increased by a third in the first five months of 2008.

Mr Kawczynski said he was in full support of Andrew Bebb, a farmer from the outskirts of Shrewsbury, who was planning the protest in July.

"TB is getting out of hand and it is amazing that a farmer has to go to these lengths to highlight the situation," said Mr Kawczynski.

"As chair of the all-party group on dairy farming Mr Bebb has my full support. I do not want to give the day of the protest away because I'm sure there will be people trying to stop it."

Mr Bebb said bovine TB was a devastating blow to the industry.

"You just cannot describe the impact it has on the farm," he explained.

"We have been TB-free for 50 years and then went down for the first time last December. We were closed down for three months and are now waiting for latest test results due next month."

Mr Kawczynski urged Gordon Brown to follow similar action carried out by the French and the Irish, both of which have managed to eradicate the disease.

He explained: "A targeted cull, carried out properly, has resulted in just 0.004 per cent of herds in France with TB.

"When I look at the numbers going down with the disease in Pontesbury, Minsterley and Westbury I am angry that we have not adopted a similar approach."