CULLING of badgers is already underway in Cumbria in a bid to prevent the spread of deadly bovineTB in the county.

A unique partnership, the first of its kind in the country, has been formed between Government vets and Cumbrian farmers in a bid to stamp out a “pocket of infection” in the county, which is otherwise at low risk of the disease.

National Farmers Union north west regional director, David Hall, said: “It is something that is unique to Cumbria. In other parts of the country in High Risk Areas, a group of farmers would apply for a licence.

“The badger cull is part of a suite of measures which is being led by the Animal and Plant Health Agency.”

The cost of the cull will be largely met by farmers in the affected area.

“Farmers will be making a significant financial contribution, although APHA will be contributing support,” said Mr Hall.

“The NFU has always supported a comprehensive and proportionate eradication strategy, which balances disease controls measures with business sustainability.

“We must have every option available to us to tackle bTB – including cattle testing, cattle movement restrictions, biosecurity advice, vaccination and control of the disease in wildlife.”

Farmers were given the green light to begin culling badgers in the area described as east Cumbria from last Thursday.

It came after Defra revealed between November 2014 and August of this year a total of 30 outbreaks of the deadly disease had occurred across 26 farms.

Government vets maintained that after investigation the disease was “well established” in the local badger population and as such is a potential source of cattle infection.

Sett surveying was carried out by APHA across the area from late July to December 2017, with some additional areas surveyed in early 2018. These have been used to estimate the density of setts in a ‘hotspot’ identified in 2016 and to estimate badger social group territory size.

“Culled badgers will be tested and the results of this, alongside the ongoing intensive surveillance of cattle, will inform future disease control measures in badgers and cattle in this area,” said a Defra spokesman.

“The level of disease in cattle has remained constant despite the introduction of cattle measures and there has, as yet, been no significant geographical spread of the disease outside of the hotspot area.”

Farming Minister, George Eustice, added: “Along with six-monthly cattle testing, movement restrictions and good biosecurity on farms, this offers the best opportunity to deal quickly with this localised threat.”

But wildlife campaigners criticised the cull and said they feared the controversial move could lead to “illegal persecution” of badgers in the county.

The trust has been running a campaign against the proposed cull calling for vaccination of both wildlife and cattle herds.

David Harpley, conservation manager at Cumbria Wildlife Trust, expressed dismay at the cull being given the go-ahead.

“We weren’t aware that culling has started, and would have preferred more discussion about vaccinating wildlife,” he said.

“We have led the way in demonstrating that badger vaccination would be a far more effective route, accompanied with strict biosecurity controls, movement controls and robust cattle testing regimes.

“There is evidence that badger culls have led to the illegal persecution of badgers, meaning more badger baiting.”

The trust maintained the cost of killing badgers was much higher than vaccinating them.

Mr Harpley claimed: “It costs £496.51 to kill a badger compared with £82 to vaccinate a badger.”

Dominic Dyer, chief executive of the Badger Trust, told the News & Starthere wasn’t enough evidence to prove the disease was endemic in the wildlife in Cumbria.

“Just how many badgers have been tested in Cumbria?” he asked. “I think to date only three. Where is the scientific evidence to prove that this disease is in the wildlife?

“I believe there has been a lot of political pressure for this to happen in Cumbria and that is why the licence has been agreed. But how many will be killed, and at what cost to taxpayer?”

On Friday ministers announced badger culling would be taking place in 32 areas across 10 counties - Devon, Cornwall, Dorset, Gloucestershire, Herefordshire, Cheshire, Somerset, Wiltshire, Staffordshire and Cumbria.

Ministers and many farmers argue the badger cull is a vital part of curbing bovine tuberculosis (bTB), which led to 33,000 cattle being slaughtered in England in 2017 at a cost of £100m.