Fern has been found to be a TB reactor

Sheilagh Kreamers from Oxwell near Newton Abbot has been told her pedigree calf has to be culled, because it might have TB.

Defra policy is to shoot the animal, before carrying out a post-mortem tests to find out if it is infected.

If the outcome is positive then action has to be taken to protect the other animals on the farm.

'Ruined Christmas'

Ms Kreamers hopes that Fern, a pedigree Dexter Calf, will one day be a show bull but Defra's annual TB test, found that Fern is a TB reactor.

That means he may have TB, but not for certain.

Ms Kreamers admits that she cannot physically stop them removing Fern, but says she will do everything in her power to get in their way.

"It's absolutely breaking my heart," she said.

"It's ruined my Christmas, we've cancelled Christmas totally because it's just so sad."

Defra says that it is as concerned as farmers about the problems TB has caused and is currently consulting on whether there should be badger culling.