Badger cull extended to Dorset

Third region in England gets a go-ahead despite protests and controversial results of pilot culls in Gloucestershire and Somerset

The government will extend the badger cull to Dorset as part of a drive to limit tuberculosis in cattle, it was announced on Friday. The announcement follows controversial pilots in Gloucestershire and Somerset running over the past two years, with Natural England issuing licences to companies that permit six weeks of continuous culling in the three areas until January.

George Eustice, minister of state for farming, said: "England has the highest incidence of [bovine] TB in Europe and that is why we are taking strong action to deliver our 25-year strategy to eradicate the disease and protect the future of our dairy and beef industries.