DOMINIC Dyer of the Badger Trust and Care for the Wild is correct when he states that culling badgers is "ill-conceived" and "will contribute nothing to reducing bovine TB in cattle" (Journal, September 11).
It is also important to remember that this wanton slaughter of wildlife is not being done out of any love of cows.
This is because fewer than 40,000 dairy cows are killed annually in the UK because of bovine TB, which is less than 10 per cent of the 450,000 that are put to death each year, with more than 100,000 being killed due to infertility, 120,000 because of mastitis and lameness and the remaining 200,000 because they have become too old to be efficient milk producers.
Naturally cows can live to be up to 25 years old, but the dairy industry slaughters them when they are only five to seven years of age, and 100,000 male calves are killed annually on dairy farms, shortly after birth, because they are of no use for producing milk.
All this suffering and slaughter because humans want to drink a product that is really meant for calves!
And all totally unnecessary when we can all live perfectly healthily without consuming milk, meat or any other animal products.
Thankfully, more and more people are becoming vegan or vegetarian every year and many others are reducing their consumption of meat, fish, eggs and dairy out of concern for animals, the environment or their own health.
Ronald Lee
Worcestershire Vegans & Veggies
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here