Farming 'shortcomings' undermines case for badger cull

A catalogue of failures in how England's farmers prevent their cattle spreading TB between herds was uncovered by an official European Commission inspection, the Guardian has learned, undermining the case for the imminent cull of badgers.

The previously unreported document was highlighted as government body Natural England issued a licence for a pilot cull in west Somerset on Thursday, following last month's granting of a licence to shoot badgers in Gloucestershire.