Many of your readers will know that the government is planning to cull 2,500 badgers in Gloucestershire starting in June.


If the cull is rolled out as planned, this will be the first step in culling many more badgers in an effort to reduce bovine TB by a hoped for 15 percent over nine years.


Culling will take place despite overwhelming evidence from experts that it will not work and could even make bovine TB worse.
Bovine TB is a terrible disease and everyone feels huge sympathy for both cattle and farmers.


Indeed, that's why we need an effective solution - the science clearly shows that's not the cull.


The House of Commons voted 147 to 28 against the cull.
The public were polled in July 2011 and 91 percent were against the cull.
Even Defra's own public consultation in 2010 reported 70 percent against the cull, with DefraÕs Jim Paice admitting that vaccination is the long-term solution.


Surely we should be following expert advice and accompanying a programme of vaccination with better biosecurity and rigorous testing?
This is precisely what Wales is doing.


At the upcoming Gloucestershire County Council elections in May, all the main political parties have now signed up to seeking to refuse the culling of badgers on council land apart from the Conservatives.


I hope that your readers will wish to consider the need to protect our farmers, cattle and wildlife with an effective and sustainable solution when voting starts.

Alexa Forbes
Selsley