TB slaughter for milk drink herd

The company said it had alternative milk supplies

A dairy firm that supplies flavoured milk drinks to supermarkets across the UK says it is business as usual despite losing most of its herd to bovine TB.

Some 240 of the 390 cattle at Trioni Ltd's farm in Boncath, Pembrokeshire, must be slaughtered.

The company that makes the Daioni range of drinks said there had been no danger to public health and it had alternative supplies of organic milk.

Company founder Laurence Harris said he was "deeply saddened" to lose the cows.

The slaughter is set to start on Wednesday although around 230 calves have already been destroyed.

Mr Harris said: "We would like to reassure all Daioni customers that the TB outbreak poses no health risk whatsoever as all our milk is pasteurised - a process which kills any bacteria.

'Secured milk'

"We are working with the Animal Health Department and Welsh Assembly Government to control the outbreak.

"It is without doubt a very stressful time for us and our staff, and we are deeply saddened for this to be happening to our farming business."

But he said the business, which counts several Premiership football clubs and the Welsh Rugby Union among its customers, would continue as normal.

"We have always sourced milk from other farms in Pembrokeshire, as well as our own," he added.

"In time we will look to rebuild our herd but will never be able to replace them, as three generations of hard work has gone into building the Ffosyficer herd."

Originally it was feared that as many as 335 cattle would have to be destroyed.

But on Wednesday the farm was told by animal health officials that cows with inconclusive test results did not have to be sent to slaughter.

Almost 8,000 cattle in Wales were slaughtered in 2007 because of TB - a potentially fatal respiratory illness in cattle.