THE National Beef Association is disappointed that the TB report released last week by MPs on the Environment Food and Rural Affairs Committee failed to acknowledge that current TB controls had no hope of eradicating the disease and at best could only slow down the rate of spread.

"They completely overlooked the point that it is impossible to control a two-species disease like TB if infected cattle are culled out and diseased badgers are left untouched," explained the NBA's TB committee chairman, George Richardson.

"The most that can be hoped under present rules is that a brake can be put on the speed with which TB is embedding itself into the badger population and being passed back to disease-free cattle."

"The committee has criticised the quality of protective husbandry on cattle farms and called on more measures to reduce cattle-to-cattle spread. However, we confidently predict that, if controls continue to be confined to cattle culling and restricting cattle movement, the only achievement will be a delay in the time when most of the UK is infected."

"The committee has done nothing to address what will have to be done when the greater proportion of the UK badger population harbours TB and very few cattle are safe from it," Mr Richardson added.