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Farmers could be granted a cloak of secrecy if they allow badgers to be trapped and shot on their land to prevent violent reprisals from extremists.

With details of a badger cull to prevent the spread of bovine TB not likely to be released until the first half of July, farmers have been fearful their properties, livestock and families may be attacked.

One of the region's most high-profile farmers, BBC TV presenter Adam Henson, told a farmers' meeting last week he had received hate mail following the screening of a Countryfile programme on the issue. It had included the warning: "We are going to burn your children."

But now the National Farmers' Union (NFU) has revealed that the identity of farmers allowing culls on their land need not be released.

Kevin Pearce, the NFU's Director of Regions, told the Daily Press: "This is a massive issue and the security of our farmers is vitally important to us and an ongoing concern that their families and businesses may be targeted.

"We are trying to provide as much protection as we can and the legal advice we have received states that under the special circumstances of safety of individuals, their identity can be protected by being withheld."

If a cull is allowed, it will be carried out in the hot-spot regions by farmers and others who are formed into limited companies, who would be licensed to shoot badgers under strict supervision.

The cull would be limited to 70 per cent of badgers within the specific area.

Limited-company status would grant its members anonymity – and as the police would be involved in granting firearms licences, lists of people involved would be exempt from freedom-of-information legislation. A lengthy consultation on the possibility of controlling the spread of bovine TB through cattle herds across the country began in the autumn.

A decision was expected from the Government towards the end of February, but an announcement was postponed for further assessment of the thousands of responses the Government had received.

At that stage farmer organisations feared the Government might do an about-turn on the whole issue – in the same way that it had done on the sale of Forestry Commission property, following a widespread public outcry.

But within the past month the industry had been led to expect an announcement about cull details sometime next week.

Yesterday, though, the Department of the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs announced there would be a further delay. It stated that the end date for the period of the Government's consideration would now be July. With Parliament going into the summer recess on July 19, an announcement is expected to be made before then – but, with Bovine TB responsible for the destruction of 38,000 cattle last year, the farming industry is bitterly disappointed at another postponement.

"This further delay is a blow and will only increase the level of frustration among cattle farmers who are losing their livestock to the disease on a daily basis," said Mr Pearce.

Meanwhile a limited cull of badgers in one area of Wales has been ordered by the Welsh Assembly, despite vehement protests from the environmentalist lobby, including threats from the Animal Liberation Front that it would tear down farmers' fences and damage farm buildings.

The Badger Trust distanced itself from the threats, dissociating from any use of force or intimidation against people carrying out "officially approved procedures."

Three of the proposed 300-square kilometre hot-spot areas for culling are likely to be in the South West.