Farmers and scientists join forces in Cornwall to vaccinate badgers against TB | Badgers
The first program led by farmers to vaccinate the badgers against tuberculosis begins in Cornwall in order to prevent the transmission of the disease to cattle.
The program is significant because farmers and scientists have long been rubbed on the slaughtering of badgers to control tuberculosis. The three -year test will start with 70 farms and involve farmers trapping, testing and vaccinating badgers, with training provided by scientists. An anterior pilot study of the approach has shown that tuberculosis rates in badgers have increased from 16% to zero in four years.
Tuberculosis can devastate cattle herds and more than 20,000 infected cattle have been shot in the past year in England. The badger CUL started in 2013 and killed around 250,000 badgers but was very controversial.
Most scientists have argued from the start that slaughter cannot make any significant contribution to the control of tuberculosis in cattle, on the basis of a large -scale test from 1998 to 2005. They say that most cattle are infected with other cattle and that livestock control movements are essential. Most farmers argue that badgers are a dangerous reservoir for the disease and should be checked. The results of the slaughter to date are disputed. The slaughtering of the badger should end in 2029.
The 1.4 million pounds Sterling project is the first time that the National Farmers’ Union has led a badger vaccination program. Previous tests of vaccination on badgers were carried out by wildlife groups.
Professor Rosie Woodroff, at the Zoology Institute in London, said: “For half a century, fauna defenders and farmers discussed the best way to manage the risk of transmission of tuberculosis between badgers and cattle. In the end, we all want the same thing: see the tuberculosis eliminated so that farmers, live-greffer and wild life can all the most expensive.
“By working together to compare different approaches, we can develop a shared understanding of evidence and use it to identify the tuberculosis control solutions which are effective and lasting.”
Bridget Whell, a farmer and the Cornwall de la Nfu chair, participates in the project and has 1,200 cattle serving two dairy. It has lost half of the cattle in one of the dairy in the past and its farm has spent most of the last 15 years under government restrictions due to tuberculosis infections. “It was really devastating,” she said.
There were six years of Badger slaughter on the Whell farm, but which have now ended due to the government’s decision to end the slaughter. “It now seems that in terms of available tools, apart from biosecurity and [cattle] essay, [badger vaccination] is the future, ”she said. The cattle vaccines for tuberculosis are under development but have been complicated by the need to be able to distinguish infected and vaccinated animals when tested.
“There was a lack of confidence [about badger vaccination] Because there was no information, “said Whell.” What we finally hope to get out of [the project] is so [badger vaccination] Affects TB cattle levels – which remains to be seen, but I think it’s worth doing. »»
“My skepticism, if necessary, is whether it is a policy is sustainable, financially and practically.”
The project will start with 70 farmers over 80 km2 In Cornwall, and develop more than three years to cover 400 to 500 km2. It will assess the impact of the vaccination against the badger on tuberculosis control and examine how vaccination can be extended and delivered in the most profitable way.
The project will assess three vaccination approaches to determine what works best: annual vaccination over four years, vaccination every two years or reactive vaccination based on tuberculosis infection in farms.
