Badger cull: Ulster Farmers' Union says decision to pause plans for cull is a major blow to livestock farmers

​But the decision, announced on Wednesday by Mr Justice Scoffield who identified a failure by the Department for Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA) to fairly disclose enough information about the scheme during a consultation process, has been welcomed by animal campaign groups who brought the legal challenge.

Ulster Farmers’ Union (UFU) president David Brown said, “The Judicial Review ruling is a major blow for our livestock farmers.

"Farm families have been on their knees due to this disease for generations, and they are desperate for a successful strategy that will tackle TB in all its hosts ensuring healthy cattle and healthy wildlife.

“The UFU has been working relentlessly since the former DAERA Minister Edwin Poots MLA, launched the revised TB consultation. For the first time in generations, it showed real hope and a fresh approach to tackle TB which in April of this year, reached record levels.

“Between waiting on a new public consultation, a lack of an Executive at Stormont and the threat of further legal challenges by wildlife campaigners, it could take years before the issue of the TB reservoir in wildlife is addressed. However, rest assured, we will continue to lobby to get much needed wildlife intervention into place.

“The legal challenge and subsequent judgement in the High Court surrounded the procedure that DAERA followed in its public consultation, not the rights and wrongs of tackling TB in all its hosts in hotspot areas. Numerous independent expert groups have looked at this issue in great detail on behalf of DAERA over the years and all have concluded that the proposals to deal with all sources of the disease are required. The latest roadkill survey figures from DAERA also show TB incidence rates in the badger population are escalating.

“This setback is the last thing our members needed.

But Nora Smith, Chief Executive of the USPCA, said the court’s decision was a positive step in protecting badgers.

“The unnecessary killing of helpless badgers by free shooting will do nothing to adequately address the problem we have faced for years with bovine TB,” she said.

“We have full sympathy for our farming community who have been devastated by the impact of bovine TB on their herds and who have been led to believe a cull of badgers will play a leading role in solving the problem.

"In fact, the latest evidence from AFBI, points to the fact that the highest rate of transmission is cow to cow. There must be a new conversation around how we effectively eradicate this devastating disease. The focus must be on cattle movements, testing and biosecurity. The continual focus on the badger is getting in the way of proper rigorous thinking about disease control for cattle.

“The Northern Ireland Badger Group together with Wild Justice led the legal challenge made against DAERA on options to control the badger population to tackle bovine tuberculosis (bTB) on the fact that it did not meet the requirements for a lawful consultation. I want to put on record my thanks to them for their leadership and commitment.”