Badger control linked to TB rate decline in LRA ‘hotspots’

Badger culling and vaccination in bovine TB hotspots across low-risk areas (LRAs) of England is being linked to dramatic reductions in disease prevalence, according to new data from a Defra report.

In Area 54 – Lincolnshire – where badger culling started in 2020, TB prevalence in culled badgers has fallen from 24.5% in 2020 to 4.3% in 2024, based on post-mortem data from tested carcasses.

Over the five-year period, infection rates dropped year-on-year, coinciding with continued culling operations.

A similar trend was seen in Area 32 – Cumbria – where culling began in 2018, bovine TB in badgers dropped from 11.1% (41 out of 369) to 0% (0 out of 134) over just two years.

See also: Pembrokeshire farmers come together to tackle TB

After no infected badgers were found post-mortem since 2020, the area transitioned to a full vaccination programme.

In 2024 alone, 224 badgers were vaccinated, bringing the total since 2020 to 744.

In Area 73 – Cumbria – licensed culling began in September 2024.

Preliminary results show a TB infection rate of 5.1% (23 out of 449 tested carcasses), with further test results pending.

The data will help shape future interventions in both badgers and cattle across the region.

Badger vaccination

In 2024, the Animal and Plant Health Agency (Apha) launched a targeted badger vaccination programme as part of its ongoing efforts to control bovine TB in low-risk areas of England.

The vaccination work focused on a 95sq km zone, centred around sites where M bovis-positive badger carcasses had previously been found.

Apha staff used their specially developed “restraint cage” to safely trap and vaccinate badgers.

A total of 172 badgers were vaccinated during the operation.

Of these, 41 were also tested for TB, with 12% (five badgers) found to be infected with M bovis, the bacterium responsible for bovine TB, through serological testing.

Industry reaction

Commenting on the report, NFU president Tom Bradshaw said: “This data reinforces what we’ve already seen in the Birch paper, Godfray review and Downs report – that wildlife control has a critical part to play in a holistic approach to tackling this awful disease.

“It’s also interesting to see how badger vaccination has been strategically used to retain the benefits achieved through culling.

“There are still big questions about the effectiveness of vaccinating badgers in protecting the health of cattle, particularly in areas of high prevalence, as well as the practicality and cost of large-scale application, so it’s important this area is explored further.”

Cheshire dairy farmer Phil Latham, a former member of Defra’s TB Partnership, also highlighted findings from studies in southern Ireland showing that lowering badger population density can reduce bovine TB transmission to cattle.

“Perturbation was once used to shield badgers from culling, based on fears it could worsen TB,” he said.

“But this evidence shows that targeted action in LRA hotspot areas doesn’t increase TB – it significantly reduces it, in some cases to zero.”

Badger ‘found dead’ testing

Defra and Apha are also testing reported “found dead” badgers and wild deer, alongside post-mortems of culled animals, to strengthen TB surveillance in hotspot areas.

The latest official Defra data on bovine TB shows that 21,586 TB-infected cattle were slaughtered in England last year – up 7% year-on year.

In Wales, where controlled badger culling is not implemented, the number of cattle slaughtered due to TB rose by 27% in 2024 compared to the previous year.

A total of 12,040 test-positive cattle were culled – the highest number recorded in a single year in Wales.