IF the government, Defra and the beef and dairy industry think that by killing 70 per cent of our badgers to save one per cent of sickly, stressed cows they need to think again.

We are told an exploding badger population is infecting our cattle. But we know that 86 per cent of badgers tested are totally healthy, 10 to 12 per cent are carriers of TB and 1.7 to two per cent are capable of spreading infection mouth-to-mouth.

We are told farmers are suffering financially and emotionally but we know farmers get compensated up to £3,000 per beef cow and £2,000 for each dairy cow that is infected with TB.

We are told that having to slaughter 37,000 cows is a price we cannot afford yet 242,000 cows with mastitis, lameness and infertility get slaughtered yearly without a mention.

The 10-year trials costing £50 million of taxpayers' money produced conclusive scientific evidence by Lord Krebbs that the cull will not address the root cause of the problem.

We are told culling helped New Zealand with the TB problem but did not mention the vast changes that farmers had to make as there was no cushion of compensation from their government.

They adopted stringent bio-security and severe cattle movement restrictions. This, and some de-intensification of some aspects of industry, was a key factor in controlling TB, not gassing the bush-tailed possum.

We are told to trust Defra and the farming industry. Their history of CJD, Foot and Mouth, BSE and the horsemeat scandals tell me otherwise.

They have quoted £662 per badger to vaccinate. Animal welfare charities have been vaccinating for £40 or less.

What is needed is better animal husbandry ie breeding an animal with an immune system. Vaccinate badgers and cattle in the hot spots in the south west and Wales urgently.

What right does the government have to allow any business or industry to destroy badgers or any of our environment in pursuit of profit, votes or economic progress.

– M Meles, Brockhollands.