The government is set to continue badger culling in England next year after saying the strategy was 'delivering results' with more than half the country on track to be free of the disease by the end of this Parliament, Environment Secretary Elizabeth Truss said.
Badger control operations in Somerset, Gloucestershire and Dorset were all successful in meeting their targets, the government said.
The Chief Vet’s advice is that the results show that industry-led badger control can deliver the level of effectiveness required to be confident of achieving disease control benefits. As part of our strategy the government wants to see badger control over a wider number of areas next year.
Bovine TB is the greatest animal health threat to the UK.
But Dr Aristides Moustakas, from Queen Mary University London said: “It is clear that the Welsh policy of frequent testing up to every six months and the Scottish policy of risk-based surveillance are producing reductions in the both the incidence and prevalence of TB in cattle."
Professor Matthew Evans, said: “It is clear that testing cattle frequently is the most effective way of reducing Bovine TB. Farmers and policymakers should not ignore this evidence which is based on the government’s data.”
Professor Alastair Macmillan, veterinary advisor, Humane Society International/UK, said: "Researchers have shown without doubt that killing badgers will have little effect, whilst employing the policies of Wales and Scotland, where badgers are not culled, will continue to have a dramatic impact on reducing TB in cattle."
Dealing with the disease is costing the taxpayer £100million each year. Last year alone over 26,000 cattle had to be slaughtered in England to control the disease, causing devastation and distress for farmers and rural communities across large swathes of the country.
The Government is taking strong action to deliver a long-term plan to eradicate the disease and protect the future of the UK’s dairy and beef industries. The comprehensive strategy includes strengthening cattle testing and movement controls, improving biosecurity on farm and when trading, and badger control in areas where TB is rife.
The Low Risk Area, covering over half of England, is on track to achieve officially TB-free status by the end of 2019. This would be the first time anywhere in England has enjoyed this status.
Environment Secretary Elizabeth Truss said: "Our comprehensive strategy to eradicate bovine TB through tighter cattle controls, improved biosecurity and badger control is delivering results.
"We are on track to deliver TB freedom to more than half of the country by the end of this Parliament which will boost our trade prospects and is expected to deliver benefits worth millions of pounds to our dairy and beef industries. Badger control in the south west has been successful and we will enable it to take place over a wide number of areas next year.
"I am determined to deliver our strategy to tackle bovine TB and eradicate this devastating disease as soon as possible."
To further improve our cattle movement controls, the Government plans to introduce statutory post-movement testing next year for cattle entering the Low Risk Area. This will reduce the risk of importing TB-infected animals from higher risk areas and bring this part of England in line with Scotland.
In November, Defra, in partnership with AHDB, the NFU, BCVA and Landex, launched a campaign to step up biosecurity measures in farms and in the cattle trade and help protect herds from bovine TB.
We have overseen the completion of the first year of six private badger vaccination projects funded under the Badger Edge Vaccination Scheme. An ongoing worldwide shortage of BCG vaccine and the need to prioritise use in humans over badgers means that, in line with advice from Public Health England, we are suspending sourcing of the vaccine for badger vaccination schemes in England until the supply situation resolves. This follows the decision of the Welsh Government to do the same.
The European Commission has endorsed Defra’s bovine TB eradication programme for ongoing financial support in 2016.
Larger herds increasing risk?
The University of Exeter report collected data from around 500 farms which suffered from TB breakdowns.
Farms that had herds of more than 150 cattle were reported to be 50% more likely to suffer a TB outbreak than those with fewer cattle.
It was also reported that farms feeding maize and silage, and those which removed hedgerows were also at risk.
Dr Fiona Mathews, Associate Professor in Mammalian Biology, who led the study, said: "TB is absolutely devastating for farming, and it's essential that workable solutions are found. In the worst hit areas, farms are frequently affected over and over again with crippling consequences. If lower intensity production means better animal health, it offers a sustainable long-term strategy in high risk areas."
The scientists said controlling TB in cattle 'extended beyond simply excluding badgers' from areas with cattle herds. Increased density of hedges and the presence of buffer strips on field margins have been linked with reduced risk of bTB in cattle herds.
BVA response
British Veterinary Association (BVA) President Sean Wensley said: “While we continue to support targeted, effective and humane badger culling as a vital element of the bTB eradication programme, we remain disappointed that Defra plans to continue using controlled shooting and roll it out to new areas, given that the first two years of culling in the pilot areas failed to demonstrate conclusively that controlled shooting could be carried out effectively or humanely based on the criteria that were set. Again, we urge the Government to reconsider this policy and extend badger culling using cage trapping and shooting only.
“We also raised concerns about the proposals to relax the licence conditions in relation to the duration of the culling period. It is disappointing that the revised guidance to Natural England is not clearer that a simultaneous and intensive culling operation is the primary goal and does not define this. The primary goal must be to cull as many badgers as possible in as short a time as possible, in order to minimise the possible risk of perturbation.
“We have always argued that bTB will only be eradicated through a comprehensive programme utilising all of the tools available. The announcement today by the Secretary of State that the Low Risk Area, covering over half of England, is on track to achieve officially TB-free status by the end of 2019 – the first time anywhere in England has enjoyed this status – points to what may be achieved by such a comprehensive strategy.
“We welcome the strengthening of some of the tools we need to eradicate bTB, including the campaign to step up biosecurity measures in farms and in the cattle trade. We also welcome the announcement of new cattle controls, such as post-movement testing, but we are disappointed to lose the BCG vaccine from the toolbox with the temporary suspension of the Badger Edge Vaccination Scheme (BEVS). In light of the global BCG shortage, it is right that public health takes priority but it is regrettable that the supply chain is so vulnerable and we would want to see more security in the future.”
NFU response
NFU President Meurig Raymond said: “I would like to pay tribute to the cull companies and contractors in all three areas who worked extremely hard to ensure a difficult job was carried out as safely, effectively and humanely as possible. It is clear that lessons have been learned from the first two years of the pilot culls and these have helped ensure the success of this year’s operations.
“The desire to see culling carried out over a wider area of the country next year will be welcomed by farmers in areas where bovine TB is rife and where culling can play a vital role in disease control. We will continue to offer help, advice and support to farmers who want to apply for a cull licence in areas where the disease is endemic and that would benefit from culling.
“It is important that the whole of the 25-year TB eradication strategy is implemented in full as quickly as possible. The announcement that compulsory post movement testing for cattle moving into the low risk area from higher risk areas will be introduced next year will be welcomed by farmers in these areas who have been frustrated by the lack of progress on this issue.
“The news that the Badger Edge Vaccination Scheme, and other badger vaccination schemes in England, is to be suspended because of a shortage of the BCG vaccine is disappointing as we have always said badger vaccination has a role to play in stopping disease spread in the edge and low risk areas. However, we fully understand the reasons for this decision and hope the supply issue will be resolved as quickly as possible so this work can continue.
“Bovine TB remains a huge problem for beef and dairy farmers across large parts of the country. It is vital that we use every option available to us so we have the best chance of controlling and eradicating this devastating disease,” Mr Raymond said.
