A FARMER at the centre of a tuberculosis in cattle row has criticised the introduction of a set of new tests.

The Worcester News has followed Margaret Booton's long, but eventually futile, struggle to have her TB-positive animals re-tested, because she believes that the skin test used to detect the disease is inaccurate.

Earlier this month, she lost her battle against environment officials and eight animals from her Lower Snead Farm at Pensax, near Tenbury Wells, were slaughtered.

Provisional post mortem tests have revealed that five were infected with TB but three were negative. Further tests are currently being carried out.

The Department for Environ-ment, Food and Rural Affairs has announced that new pre-movement tests, which should have been introduced on Monday, have been delayed until next month to allow for more time to prepare.

Mrs Booton fears that the industry is being put under too much pressure and that new tests will be another financial burden for struggling farmers.

"Farmers are not going to be able to pay £12-a-head for their cattle to be re-tested before going to market," she said.

"There's not enough income coming in for them at the present moment and they can't afford another outlay."

Mrs Booton's neighbour and family friend Samantha Qureshi, who owned some of the cattle as pets, said that pre-movement tests would result in more potentially healthy animals being slaughtered and more farms being put under restriction.

She said that other things needed to be addressed if the cows were to stand a chance.

"They need to do something with the badger population and they also need to be vaccinating cattle," she said. "Badgers are not a viable option to vaccinate. Logistically it is impossible."

"The current test methods are also in desperate need of vast improvement."

From Monday, March 27, cattle aged more than 15 months, moving from a herd that has been tested every one to two years must test negative, within 60 days prior to movement.

Defra has urged farmers to use this delay in pre-movement tests to prepare for the change.

Animal Health and Welfare Minister, Ben Bradshaw said: "Pre-movement testing is essential to reduce the risk of this disease spreading through cattle movements.

"Our advice remains that it is good practice to conduct pre and post-movement tests.

"Farmers should not wait for legislation to do this."

Routine herd surveillance tests can be used as pre-movement tests, as long as the animals are moved within 60 days of a clear result. These will continue to be paid for by the government, but farmers must otherwise meet the cost, estimated to be about £10.50 per animal.