On the first day of Pembrokeshire County Show, Wednesday 14 August, members of the union will be raising these unacceptable figures with visiting MSs and highlighting the devastating impact this disease continues to have on farmers across the county.
Devastating
NFU Cymru Pembrokeshire County Chairman Simon Davies said: “The latest figures released by Defra further evidence the devastating impact bovine TB continues to have on farmers throughout Pembrokeshire. The fact that almost 20% of the cattle herds in this county are operating under TB restrictions is unacceptable.
"From the number of calls I receive from NFU Cymru members across Pembrokeshire on a weekly basis, it is clear that this disease continues to put an immense strain not only on the viability of farm businesses but also the mental health of all those farming families. This was highlighted by NFU Cymru’s bovine TB survey last year, which showed of the 462 members who consented to a question on mental health, 85% said TB has negatively impacted the mental health of them and their families.
“The current disease picture means that for those who are currently TB free, it feels as if it is a case of ‘when’ they go down with TB, and not ‘if’. This is backed up by the recent figures from Defra which show an increase in the incidence rate over the last decade which means more new TB breakdowns.”
Herds under TB restriction
The number of herds in the county under bovine TB restrictions has also risen over the past 10 years, with a rise of 26% between the 136 herds under restrictions in April 2014 to the 183 who are under the same restrictions as of March this year.
In conclusion, Mr Davies said: “As part of the NFU Cymru TB Focus Group I know there is positive work being undertaken looking at ways to reduce the impact of TB on farmers without risking disease control. The Pembrokeshire Project also offers an opportunity to look at what farmers and vets can achieve by working together to look at new ways to tackle this disease. However, there is no magic wand. This is why NFU Cymru members in Pembrokeshire continue to call for a comprehensive eradication strategy that deals with this disease, wherever it exists.”