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Farmers wrongly declaring their TB-infected cattle were pregnant before slaughter has led to a change in compensation rules.

The Welsh Government said of the 7,418 cows declared as pregnant, post-mortem examinations found only 4,601 were.

This led to an additional £459,000 in compensation payments over 12 months.

From November written proof of pregnancy will be requested at valuation stage, which a farmers union called an "additional burden".

The announcement follows a 12-month evidence gathering exercise carried out by the Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) and the Food Standards Agency (FSA).

Cabinet Secretary for Energy, Planning and Rural Affairs Lesley Griffiths, said: "Cattle owners are rightly paid compensation for cattle slaughtered because of TB.

"However, we had concerns that some cattle were potentially being valued as in calf when they were not.

"The study by APHA and FSA shows that this is a real issue and that is why I am introducing changes to the valuation and payment of in-calf cattle, with written proof of pregnancy diagnosis now being required at valuation stage."

But NFU Cymru Milk Board chairman Gareth Richards said: "Those in the unfortunate position of losing cattle to bovine TB work with valuers and inform them of those cows and heifers they genuinely believe to be in calf at the time of slaughter, having either been running with a bull or artificially inseminated.

"Whilst we understand Welsh Government's concern following the results from this commissioned work, we have stressed that this is an additional burden at a very difficult time for those losing cattle who are reactors.

"We ask that the process of submitting pregnancy diagnosis results to Welsh Government is made as easy and trouble free as possible."