Too soon to link TB drop to vaccination, say vets

Vets have warned anti-badger cull campaigners not to claim that wildlife vaccination is behind a fall in TB-infected cattle in Wales.

British Veterinary Association (BVA) president Robin Hargreaves insisted it was too early to draw conclusions from the badger vaccination programme in north Pembrokeshire.

Although he welcomed the significant reduction in new bovine TB incidents, he said: “It is essential the figures are not hijacked by the political lobby that would claim the stats show vaccination is a proven alternative to culling.

See also: Cattle TB figures show sharp drop in Wales

“There is as yet no evidence to suggest that the badger vaccination programme in the intensive action area has had an additional benefit to that experienced across the whole of Wales, and it is still too early to draw any conclusions.”

Mr Hargreaves was speaking at the BVA’s annual Welsh dinner in Cardiff on 1 July.