Veterinary surgeons in Devon have warned that the number of cases of tuberculosis in cattle is soaring out of control.

The Government is now taking on scores of new vets to try to catch up with the huge backlog of tests.

Foot-and-mouth forced testing for bovine TB to be halted last year. Now there is such a backlog, vets cannot keep up.

More testing is now to be carried out

Peter Robson of Davidson and Prosser Vets said: "We have five full-time testing at the moment and we're trying to catch up on the backlog created by the problems of foot-and-mouth.

"Lots of clients are under movement restrictions because of the fact that they haven't had a test for more than a year. It obviously causes a problem because they can't sell animals."

Mr Robson's vets practice has had 300 herds to test, and they have had to take on a locum vet to help. The BBC has spoken to about a dozen veterinary practices in Devon, and they said that they have got vets out testing for bovine TB virtually every day.

Badgers have been blamed by farmers for spreading bovine TB

Several said they are finding at least a herd a week going down with TB.Vets believe that because animal movements have been restricted, the disease must have been spread by wildlife. Many believe the culprits are badgers.

The Government's trial badger culling policy was also halted last year. It is due to restart in May. Government figures for cases of bovine TB for February are shockingly high for the west region.

Some 228 cases were reported by February 2002. The Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) does not give figures per county, but farmers believe the worst affected places are Devon and Gloucestershire. They fear the figures will get worse.

Peter Robson said: "Since we started at Christmas, this is the worst I've ever known it in my whole career. It's infinitely worse than it's ever been in the South Hams."

Click here for Farming Index >>>