I refer to last week's letter from Simon Hacker which presented a very one sided view of the issue of badgers. I am surprised that he can be critical of someone believing that infected badgers may transmit TB to cattle and at the same time categorically state "It's clear what gives cattle TB: other cattle".

Badgers infected with TB are more likely to become road casualties.

In the mid 1970's M.A.F.F., as part of a programme of collecting carcases and carrying out post mortem examinations, found a severely infected animal on the Wotton-under-Edge to North Nibley road. Nearby herds were immediately tested. My father-in-law's beef herd had a 60 percent reactor rate and the whole herd was slaughtered, despite having had a clear test only a few months earlier.

All his cattle were less than 18 months old, had no contact with others and were purchased as baby calves from one farm, which had no previous or subsequent cases.

In my own herd of suckler cows and calves one young animal reacted to the T.B. test and was positive at post mortem. Again there were no previous or subsequent cases. None of these animals could have been infected by cattle.

Does Mr Hacker believe that a badger dying of a bacillus, identical to that found in these cattle, is somehow magically incapable of transmitting the infection.

This is a disease that can be transmitted to humans. Until its precise epidemiology has been established, we must all keep an open mind, consider all possibilities and certainly not stand in the way of whatever investigations and control measures are deemed necessary.

Control is as important to the badger population itself as it is to cattle.

Richard Lampard Goldwick Farm Lower Wick,