In short
- A policy briefing by researchers at Cardiff and Aberystwyth universities and the British Ecological Society’s Wales policy group says major questions remain about how many badgers are being vaccinated against bovine TB and what impact that has on disease levels in cattle.
- Dr Niall McKeown, a lecturer in life sciences at Aberystwyth University and vice-chair of the British Ecological Society’s Wales policy group, said evidence that operational badger vaccination programmes reduce disease in cattle remains limited.
- The Welsh government said it is renewing its approach to eradicating bovine TB in Wales, focusing on three main elements: cattle, people and wildlife.
- The badger vaccination programme began as a pilot in Pembrokeshire, which has a very high number of TB cases, and parts of north Wales, and a new government board was established in August 2024 to try to eliminate the disease.
- Llyr Gruffydd, the Welsh minister responsible for agriculture, said there was a need to look at a range of solutions and that the picture varies from farm to farm.
Researchers from Cardiff and Aberystwyth universities, with the British Ecological Society’s Wales policy group, say significant gaps in evidence about vaccinating badgers against bovine tuberculosis reduce how well the approach works in Wales. Their policy briefing calls for more monitoring of the vaccination programme, a review of the evidence, and collaboration with farmers.
What gaps does the briefing identify?
The researchers say major questions remain about how many badgers are being vaccinated, what impact vaccinating badgers is having on disease levels in cattle, and how confidence in vaccination can be improved among farmers and veterinary professionals. They call for increased monitoring of the vaccination’s impact and a review of the evidence.
What does the evidence say about BCG vaccination in badgers?
Dr Niall McKeown, a lecturer in the department of life sciences at Aberystwyth University and vice-chair of the British Ecological Society’s Wales policy group, said: “Badger vaccination should not be presented as a stand-alone route to eradicating bovine tuberculosis.” He said there is strong evidence that BCG vaccination protects badgers, but that “evidence that operational vaccination programmes reduce disease in cattle remains limited”, and that any cattle-level benefit is likely to depend on sustained and sufficiently extensive vaccination coverage alongside effective cattle controls.
McKeown added that what is needed is not simply more vaccination “but vaccination that is better targeted, measured and evaluated”. He said combining non-invasive genetic monitoring with sett surveys, camera traps and movement data could estimate local badger numbers, check the proportion of the population reached and identify significant gaps.
What has the Welsh government said?
A spokesperson for the Welsh government said: “We are renewing our approach to eradicating bovine TB in Wales, focusing on three main elements: cattle, people, and wildlife.” The spokesperson said the work would be evidence-based and science-led, taking into account advice from the programme board and the technical advisory group, while ensuring value for money remains a core consideration in decision-making.
Llyr Gruffydd, the minister responsible for agriculture, said there was a need to “look at a range of solutions”, that the “picture varies from farm to farm” and that a “wide range of options” were being considered. His comments came as the Welsh government announced the extension of two projects aiming to eradicate bovine TB.
How is bovine TB controlled in cattle in Wales?
Cattle in Wales are regularly tested for the presence of the infection and are slaughtered if they are found to be carriers. Vaccination is part of the programme to eradicate bovine TB in Wales, but it is a controversial topic, and there have been calls for alternative methods of controlling the infection among cattle, such as badger culling, because badgers can carry the disease and transmit it to cattle.
The programme began as a pilot scheme introduced in two areas — Pembrokeshire, where there is a very high number of TB cases, and parts of north Wales — with no intention to expand it to other areas. In August 2024, a new board was established by the government to try to eliminate the disease. The work sits alongside other Welsh environmental programmes, such as the National Trust’s £1m plan to restore habitats in the Eryri valley.
Frequently asked questions
What are the evidence gaps on badger vaccination in Wales?
Researchers at Cardiff and Aberystwyth universities and the British Ecological Society’s Wales policy group say it is unclear how many badgers are being vaccinated, what impact this is having on disease levels in cattle, and how confidence in vaccination can be improved among farmers and veterinary professionals.
Does vaccinating badgers reduce bovine TB in cattle?
Dr Niall McKeown of Aberystwyth University said there is strong evidence that BCG vaccination protects badgers, but evidence that operational vaccination programmes reduce disease in cattle remains limited.
Where has badger vaccination been trialled in Wales?
The programme began as a pilot scheme in Pembrokeshire, where there is a very high number of TB cases, and parts of north Wales, with no intention to expand it to other areas.
What is the Welsh government doing about bovine TB?
The Welsh government said it is renewing its approach to eradicating bovine TB in Wales, focusing on cattle, people and wildlife, and that a new board was established in August 2024 to try to eliminate the disease.
With reporting from BBC News.
Stock image, not from the events described. Blue-eyed grass (Sisyrinchium bellum) (53042926012) — blmcalifornia / Wikimedia Commons (Public domain)