Letter: Public should research facts before sounding off about TB

It is very easy to blame the farming community for the existing TB problems and also for the badger population control measures.

It is a lack of information to the public who therefore base their opinions on very one-sided information.

I could write a whole article about these issues but I would like to keep it short and stand up for the hard- working Shropshire farmers.

There is not a single farmer who wouldn't want to vaccinate their cattle, however by law this is not allowed.

The vaccine is very effective and used widely in humans and now also in badgers.

The problem lies within the testing. The current test in use was designed more than half a century ago and is still the only one accepted by the EU.

This test cannot differentiate between a vaccinated and a diseased animal so after vaccinating your herd at the next compulsory test all the animals would react to the test and would have to be culled!

So the breakthrough we, in the farming sector are waiting for is a new test that will allow us to use the vaccine.

This will also require a change of EU law. As the rest of continental Europe does not have TB problems, this doesn't have any priority in Brussels.

So the farmers are completely stuck in their position and therefore embrace any measure that might help the situation, which includes dealing with the wildlife TB reservoir.

We as vets are desperate for a better test. The existing test does not identify all diseased animals at the time of testing. So if you leave a sick animal behind every time you go out testing, you can never eradicate this disease.

Please only have a strong opinion after looking into all the facts, it is just too easy to follow the obvious (or loudest). The TB situation is far more complicated than it seems!

Benno Veenstra, Stapeley Veterinary Practice, Minsterley