The largest annual event in Pembrokeshire, the three- day County Agricultural Show held at Withybush, near Haverfordwest, got off to an excellent start on Tuesday in perfect weather conditions.

Optimistic of a record breaking show officials commented that early indications were that the attendances were well up to expectations and that few people had experienced any major difficulties on the approach roads to the event.

Total livestock entries exceeded 2,300, coming from parts of Wales and many from the English counties, and there were practically 500 trade stands of every possible description.

On a more concerning matter, the National Farmers Union issued a statement with latest figures indicating that 699 Welsh dairy and beef herds are now under TB restrictions, and that there were 251 new cases in the year to April 2003. This had resulted in the slaughter of 1,751 cattle.

South county dairy farmer Steve Alderman, chairman of the NFU's Pembroke County branch, who has suffered the stress and misery of the problem at first hand said that he planned to go on a fact finding visit to Ireland in the near future.

"Irish scientists believe that a good measure of the disease is coming from badgers. No one wants to cull badgers, but we cannot sit back and watch our cattle industry being decimated because only one side of the problem is being dealt with.

"The Irish have carried out a five-year trial culling badgers in TB hotspots which has cut TB by up to 90 per cent," says Mr Alderman.

Dai Davies, of Whitland, the Union's vice-president for Wales, stated: "We want to learn from our Irish colleagues in order to find solutions to the growing problem of TB. We need to look outside the UK for a remedy, because the current arrangements are certainly not working.

"The NFU believes that the disease should be tackled in the following ways: by developing a vaccine as a matter of urgency; by improving TB diagnostic equipment (a very high number of 'positive' animals slaughtered last year did not have the disease); drawing to completion the Krebs trials in order to obtain credible results and by halting delays in TB testing; there are currently 727 farms in Wales overdue for tests."

Early championship successes are as follows:

DAIRY CATTLE

Ayrshire - P. and S. Williams, Camrose and res.

Holstein - A. H. Wilson, Cardigan; Junior Cow - P. Williams, Spittal; Progeny group - S. P. and S. R. Davies, Hebron.

Guernsey - G. S. and G. A. Davies and Sons, Hayscastle and res.

Jersey - A. H. Wilson, Cardigan.

Dairy Shorthorn - M. S. and E. A. E. Davies, St Clears and res.

Brown Swiss - C. and P. Davies, Lampeter Velfrey; res- K. Thomas, Llanboidy.

Dexter - H. Hamer, Burry Port.

BEEF CATTLE

Hereford -T. G. and E. I. Thorne, Steynton and res.

Welsh Black - T. G. and M. I. Phillips, Fishguard; res - G. D. and A. James, Maenclochog.

Longhorn - P. and J. Evans, Mathry; res - B. and M. Llewellyn, Trap.

Other British Native Breed - A. James, Clarbeston Road; res - P. A. and P. A. Jones, Henllan Amgoed.

Limousin - D. G. Davies, Tiers Cross; res - V. Hains, West Williamson.

Simmental - M. O. and L. D. Jones, Llanfynydd; res - B. T. and M. C. Raymond, Nantgaredig.

Other Continental Breed - D. I. and H. M. Rogers, Hayscastle and res.

Commercial Beef - G. D. and J. B. Jenkins, Brongest.

HORSES

Welsh Pony (Cob type), Section C - E. Rapps, Llanon; res- A. J. Rees, Ammanford.

Welsh Pony, Section B - J. J. T. Davies, Boncath; res - L. B. Hillard, Carmarthen.

Welsh Part - Bred - K. Rees, Meidrim; res - E. W. Morris, Clarbeston Road.

Arab - E. and S. Jones, Ffairfach.

Shetland - S. G. George, Llandybie; res - Powell and Jarman, Capel Dewi.