I AM very disappointed, as I am sure many of your readers are, that the Government is pressing ahead with the misguided policy of killing badgers in England.

I cannot call it a 'cull' as the majority of those animals killed are likely to be healthy, as evidenced by a study from 2003 (which found 80 per cent of those killed were TB free).

As it is, the decision to allow farmers to shoot badgers on their own land is disastrous, both in terms of welfare and potentially spreading the disease. This slaughter will happen in private. There will be no way to monitor welfare – and orphaned cubs are liable to be left to die a long and lonely death in setts.

Killing badgers will cause survivors to travel to new areas. This could have the effect of pushing TB onto farmers' land where no TB exists. This was one of the major concerns of the largest study into TB. Ten years of research found that 'culling' badgers would have no meaningful impact on the disease. TB infection in cattle is falling in the UK – not going up. Overall, there were 438 fewer Total New Herd TB incidents in 2009 compared to 2008 – with cases falling in both Wales and the South West. How can this devastation of our natural wildlife be justified when TB infection is falling?

This wildlife massacre is not only cruel, it is not needed. Scientists in Dublin have perfected an oral vaccine that is effective in tackling the disease in badgers. This new development stops the vaccine being destroyed by powerful acids in badgers' stomachs, meaning it can be fed to them in bait left outside their setts. These scientists have said this method is the only way to control TB in the badger population long-term.

However, Bovine TB is a disease of cattle – and cattle-to-cattle is undeniably the main vector. Killing badgers while ignoring this is akin to fiddling while Rome burns.

Please get involved in the campaign to stop Britain's wildlife being used as the scapegoat for poor agricultural policy and political favouritism. Visit www.viva.org.uk/badgers, or phone 0117 944 1000 to find out how you can help.

Justin Kerswell, Viva! campaigns manager, Bristol