An NFU Cymru spokesman said: “NFU Cymru recognises that additional cattle measures are required in areas of the Low TB area of North Wales to prevent the disease gaining a foothold in that area. We are currently working with APHA and the OCVO to spread the message to our members in that area.

“It is prudent to point out that there are important legitimate business and animal health and welfare reasons why cattle movements take place, and that movements into the Low TB area will have taken place according to stringent government movement and TB testing protocols. Cattle moving into the area will have passed all these stringent protocols and a farmer would never knowingly import infected cattle into the area.

“The comprehensive approach adopted in England has seen an average reduction in the incidence of bovine TB of at least 40% in areas that have completed at least four years of badger control operations. Just across the border in Gloucestershire, there has been a 66% decline in new TB breakdowns. Evidence from around the world highlights that all successful eradication bovine TB programmes are based around tackling the disease in cattle and wildlife where they are also known to be suffering from the disease.

“Bovine TB continues to place an enormous emotional and financial strain on farming families, it causes untold heartache to farmers across Wales. Although there has recently been some marginal improvements in terms of the disease picture in Wales, around 10,000 cattle in the prime of their productive lives continue to be culled every year in Wales due to tuberculosis.

“TB is a complex disease, and farmers are playing their part in bearing down on this disease through cattle-based measures, however wildlife reservoirs of disease are still going unaddressed, and we need comprehensive measures to be put in place if we are to ensure the continuing downward trend in incidence.

“In areas of Wales (e.g. North West Wales) where the disease is not endemic in the cattle or wildlife populations, then we firmly believe that cattle testing and control measures are vital to prevent the disease spreading. However, in some parts of Wales we know from Welsh Government surveys that around one in five badgers are suffering from this disease. We need to tackle this disease wherever it is causing suffering to ensure that we can return as quickly as possible to a situation where we have healthy cattle and wildlife populations.

“In light of the comments made by the First Minister last month, NFU Cymru President John Davies has written to the First Minister to request a meeting to discuss bovine TB and how we could move forward in Wales with a strategy to eradicate this awful disease.”