A BBC documentary made by long-time opponent to the badger cull, Sir Brian May, has been blasted by farming groups as ‘irresponsible, inaccurate and unacceptable', with the NFU issuing a complaint to the broadcaster.
Sir Brian called for badgers to be ‘exonerated' from their role in the spread of bovine TB, and said they were being ‘brutally persecuted' for a crime they did not commit.
The Queen guitarist said he had ‘never been convinced of the logic of science behind the spread of bovine TB between badgers and cows'.
And during the documentary which aired on BBC2 tonight (August 23), he suggested slurry played a major role in the spread of bTB, and enhanced testing measures coupled with improved hygiene on farms, could help halt the spread of disease without the need to cull badgers.
However, he also added early on that he would always be against the culling of badgers.
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Speaking during the hour-long documentary, rockstar Sir Brian said: "I have to be clear, even if badgers were the cause of the spread of bTB in cattle, I would not be in favour of killing them."
NFU president Tom Bradshaw said: "Given the complex and controversial nature of TB in cattle and the proven role badgers play in the cycle of infection on farms, I think it is completely unacceptable and irresponsible for Sir Brian May to have been given the platform he has by the BBC.
"I have written to the corporation to express my deep concern, and that of my members. I am also extremely concerned the impact this programme will have on the mental health of farmers who are still impacted by this terrible disease on farm. The toll on them and their families is huge.
"We have said this programme is fundamentally flawed. It ignores all the independent peer-reviewed science and evidence that has gone before it; science that continues to demonstrate the current TB eradication strategy is working."
As part of the documentary, Sir Brian visited farms in the south-west of England in Wales where he listened to the concerns of farmers.
One of these farmers was Robert Reed at Gatcombe, South Devon, who has been dealing with bTB breakdowns since 2012, and provided a test site for Sir Brian and his team to conduct a four-year study.
As part of this study, vet Dick Sibley, conducted enhanced testing of the herd using blood, slurry and saliva tests, which Mr Sibley and Sir Brian said showed that the disease was being spread in the cows' dung.
Discussing the results, Mr Sibley said: "It has classically been known as a respiratory organism, but we were finding it in faeces.
"My gut instinct is that the biggest rate of transmission is cow to cow, and not badger to cow."
Sir Brian said this ‘revelation' meant they were a ‘step closer' to clearing the badger's name.
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In the documentary, Sir Brian claimed that the farm was able to achieve a disease-free status through improved hygiene on farms and spreading manure away from grazing fields.
Mr Bradshaw added: "While I am sure it was well-intended, this programme focuses heavily on one farm, claiming that slurry is to blame for the widescale spread of bTB. Research by the government's own body responsible for animal health, the Animal and Plant Health Agency, has determined the possibility that bTB is spread through cattle faeces as very low.
"The case study farm used to evidence May's theory has unfortunately since suffered further bTB breakdowns.
"For the past decade, we have worked with Government agencies to deliver a comprehensive bTB eradication strategy based on clear science and evidence. It is through this strategy that we have achieved a 20-year low in new TB herd breakdowns in England.
"The significance of wildlife control in helping to combat this disease is well-documented in three peer-reviewed studies, all conducted at scale: the Birch review, the Godfray review and the Downs review, the latter showing reductions in breakdowns of bTB in cattle of 66% in Gloucestershire and 37% in Somerset. This is something to celebrate. We are getting on top of this disease, but it has taken time and a consistent approach.
"We all want a future where our farms are and remain TB free. It is encouraging that badger and cattle vaccination trials are underway and collecting the evidence that these tools can play a significant role in TB control is vital. But we must keep all the tools available, including wildlife control, that have been proven to work at scale. For those farmers who continue to be affected, access to a comprehensive eradication strategy is a vital source of hope that they can break the heartbreaking cycle of reinfection."
The one-sided nature of the programme is likely due to lead to an influx of complaints from farmers and rural organisations and comes after the broadcaster was forced to correct misinformation after one of its BBC Breakfast guests incorrectly said UK livestock were given growth hormones.
Cumbria farmer Charlotte Ashley said the programme ignored scientific facts which showed 'a clear reduction in bTB in areas where wildlife control is used alongside other biosecurity measures'.
She said: "We are in a hot spot area that has employed vaccinations to contain the disease culling to control it and then vaccinations again to safeguard against reinfection, we have cleaned up both wildlife and cattle - a healthy population of badgers is surely what we all want? "Concentrating on the horror stories and overlooking successful work is misleading. Wildlife control being a success is not a conspiracy theory that is being fed to farmers, as implied by Sir Brian. It is years of research by countless vets and scientists over hundreds of farms and animals.
"It is not a revelation that the skin test isn't 100% reliable but it is the best test what we have.
"Stating 'I do not believe something' does not make it not true and I feel the programme was led more by feelings than fact."
Íæż½ã½ã have also piled in on a BBC story which sensationalised large-scale farming, calling farms with more than 800 cattle ‘megafarms'.
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