Defra must not underestimate the results of a certain shift in the attitude of farmers towards badgers if it presses ahead with changes to compensation payments due to TB reactors at the same time as compulsory pre-movement testing is also introduced, the National Beef Association has warned.

It thinks that farmers facing a lottery style compensation system based on fixed rate, category card, values will very quickly take a less tolerant attitude to badgers on their holdings after some of their cattle go down with TB.

And it is convinced that once herd owners in one and two year testing parishes wake up to the cost, and depth of inconvenience, forced on them through compulsory pre-movement testing they will quickly take a more hostile view of badgers too.

"This is no more than the truth so we have to make it clear that this negativity can only be avoided if Defra balances its cattle to cattle control measures with the targeted culling of badgers that spread disease," explained NBA chief executive, Robert Forster.

"Most beef farmers in the heavily infected areas have still to appreciate the impact of pre-movement testing, with all its costly checks on trading freedom, will mean to the smooth running of their cattle based businesses."

"And if Defra presses ahead with this, as it appears determined to do, and leaves farmers feeling victimised because cattle are the only TB control targets it is obvious that some will take direct action to protect their herds."

According to the NBA this would be unhelpful because badgers which play no part in the spread of TB could be victims.

"But while farmer anger may be misdirected, it is also understandable, and it would be further inflamed if a rate card compensation system, which at best means 50 per cent of cattle will be undervalued, is also introduced," said Mr Forster.

"The Association supports government efforts to get a grip on TB before it overwhelms cattle farming completely but it is bound to warn that Defra's one-sided approach will backfire on badgers if farmers in the TB hotspots are put under even more cost pressure, through movement restriction and the undervaluation of some reactors, because they are already close to breaking point."