Staffordshire has more cows slaughtered over bovine TB than anywhere else in the country

Some 2,909 cows were slaughtered in the year ending June 2016, almost 1,000 more than Shropshire.

Staffordshire's figures make up more than a third of the total for the whole of the Midlands, which stands at 7,860.

The number of cows slaughtered in Staffordshire because of bovine TB, an infectious disease, increased by nearly 500 compared to the previous year.

In 2015 there were 2,423 cows slaughtered, while there were 3,049 slaughtered in 2014.

There were just 196 killed 16 years ago in 2000.

For comparison, in the year ending June 2016 where 2,909 cows were slaughtered just 11 were slaughtered in the West Midlands.

Oliver Cartwright, a spokesman for the National Farmers Union, said: "The Government has given a clear commitment to tackling the disease in wildlife in areas where TB is endemic and their 25-year TB eradication strategy also includes strengthening cattle movement controls, vaccinating cattle, when available, and improved bio-security.

"It has been proven without doubt that badgers are a reservoir of bTB and that disease transmits between badgers and cattle by a combination of direct and indirect contact.

"Controlling the disease in wildlife, therefore, in areas where it is rife, is an absolutely vital part of any package of measures if we are to successfully get on top of this disease and stop reinfection occurring."

A total of 1,976 cattle were killed in Shropshire in the year ending June 2016.

Andrew Bebb, who runs an organic dairy farm at Hanwood, near Shrewsbury, had his dairy herd tested yesterday.

He said: "It has been a very stressful week this week.

"It is about this time of year we do our annual TB tests on the heard.

"Fortunately we have been free of TB for six or seven years now, but you can never say never.

"It is extremely worrying, I know of farmers that don't sleep."