91热爆

Badgers will be shot in an attempt to control the spread of Bovine Tuberculosis in cows - in England. The programme reports from a farm run by the Gloucestershire Wildlife Trust. The cows there are used solely to graze the land - not provide milk or meat. In the next few weeks the badgers on this farm will be trapped, marked, vaccinated against TB and released. The Trust is one of only a handful of organisations in the UK to do so. Secretary of State Caroline Spelman explains the details of the two planned six week trial culls. It aims to see if killing badgers in targeted areas will help reduce the number of cattle with TB and if the badgers can be destroyed humanely. Both species carry the same strain of the disease, which cost taxpayers 拢90 million pounds last year in compensation to farmers and to pay for testing. The results of the trials will then be assessed to determine whether a widespread cull can go ahead.

A recent poll for the 91热爆 suggested a majority of Britons in both town and country opposed killing badgers to curb cattle tuberculosis. Across the country, 63% said badgers should not be killed for cattle TB.

Discussing the issues for conservationists and the farming community are Dr Gordon McGlone, the Chief Executive of Gloucestershire Wildlife Trust and Robert Warren, a dairy farmer in Gloucestershire. The Badger Trust give their initial thoughts on the plans and the Labour Party raise concerns over the financial implications.

Presenter: Sarah Swadling; Producer: Angela Frain.