NFU teams up with Badger Trust to fight TB

- Published: 16 November, 2011

The NFU and the Badger Trust are working together to vaccinate badgers on two farms owned by NFU members. This trial run is meant to assess this effectiveness of the injectable vaccination of badgers to combat bovine tuberculosis (bTB).

NFU chief farm policy adviser John Royle said: “We are pleased that the NFU and the Badger Trust have successfully liaised to facilitate this joint project, sharing equipment and resources as necessary, despite having differing views on the degree to which badgers are implicated in the transmission of bovine tuberculosis.”

Vaccination started in October in these two farms, and the Badger Trust is also working with five other landowners who indicated their desire to have badgers vaccinated on their farms. Both organisations are encouraging research to develop an orally-delivered vaccine.

Badger Trust director Simon Boulter said: “We hope that, with the use of volunteers to help with the work of surveying, trap-setting and pre-baiting, we can successfully implement an effective badger vaccination programme.”

> Bovine TB may be managed through selective breeding

> Pilot badger cull finally unveiled