Facts about the badger cull
- The first licence to kill badgers was issued for a pilot cull in Gloucestershire.
- Farmers will be licensed to shoot up to 70% of the badgers in a 300 square kilometre area in Gloucestershire.
- A second licence for a pilot cull in Somerset is still being considered.
- A long-term study found that culling over a number of years on a large scale could reduce the incidence of TB in cattle herds by 16%.
Government, "Results show culling reduces spread of TB"
The Government says the latest results of a badger culling trial show it is effective with preventing the spread of TB to cattle.
Protesters in Nottingham against badger cull
Animal rights activists against the proposed badger cull are holding a protest in Nottingham.