Environment Secretary George Eustice defends controversial decision to put down an alpaca that has tested positive for bovine tuberculosis twice
Environment Secretary George Eustice has defended a controversial decision to put down an alpaca that has tested positive for bovine tuberculosis twice.But his owner disputes the test results - and more than 90,000 people have signed a petition to save him.Mr Eustice - a former farmer - said he knew it was "soul-destroying" having to put animals down, but it was necessary.
"There has been a great deal of focus on the case of Geronimo the alpaca last week," he said. "However, each week, on average, we have to remove more than 500 cattle from herds due to infection in England alone."Farmers understand that infected animals are a risk to the remainder of their herd, so while the loss of individual animals is always a tragedy, the farming communities have worked with our government vets in this arduous but necessary endeavour.
But Mr Eustice said the tests used were more than 99% accurate when detecting positive tests - and that the tests in New Zealand were "far less reliable".Geronimo the alpaca has been tested twice with the Enferplex blood test, says the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs The UK government says this is the same test used on "a prize bull"
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