A case of foot in mouth for Defra as their own evidence reveals true cause of bTB outbreak
May 2013. Statistics released by Defra in a bid to explain why the badger cull must go ahead have, in fact, revealed the true cause of the bTB outbreak that they are trying to stop, say Care for the Wild.
bTB soared after Foot and Mouth controls relaxed
Figures show that incidences of bTB soared in 2000/2001, in certain areas. This correlates almost exactly with the relaxation of movement controls after the Foot and Mouth epidemic, which saw large numbers of herds restocked from the UK and across Europe.
Influx of untested cattle
Philip Mansbridge, Care for the Wild CEO, said: "It's not been a good day for advocates of the badger cull. First, Lord Krebs, the leading expert on bTB, repeated his belief that a cull is ‘crazy'. Then Defra themselves give detailed evidence as to why they are culling - but close examination shows that badgers clearly are not to blame for this outbreak - it was the influx of untested cattle after the Foot and Mouth outbreak.
"There's an increasing air of Emperor's New Clothes about this badger cull. Defra desperately want people to believe that it will work, and that it is scientifically valid - but it won't and it isn't. The science says that at best it'll reduce bTB by 16% after nine years - that simply is not enough to justify slaughtering 8 out of 10 badgers in this country.
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