Defra badger vaccination field force targets bTB hotspots

A new Defra-backed badger vaccination field force is being rolled out in bTB hotspots as part of efforts to reduce disease pressure on cattle herds.

The Badger Vaccination Field Force has been launched in England to increase the scale and consistency of vaccination activity within badger populations.

In its first year, the project will focus on three areas in Shropshire, Worcestershire and Oxfordshire.

Further areas are expected to be added each year as the project expands its capacity and reach.

The government-backed initiative will be delivered by Farmcare Solutions, with trained vaccination teams operating across parts of the high-risk and edge areas.

The teams will carry out badger vaccination on behalf of landowners and farmers.

The project will target areas determined by the Animal and Plant Health Agency, where higher levels of bTB have been recorded in cattle.

It will also operate alongside existing farmer-led schemes and locally organised vaccination projects.

Badger vaccination is expected to become a more prominent part of government policy in the coming years as ministers continue efforts to tackle bovine TB.

While vaccination does not cure badgers that are already infected, it is intended to help reduce the spread of disease within badger populations.

The approach could bring longer-term benefits for cattle herds by helping to limit disease transmission in wildlife.

For farmers, the field force may provide a simpler route to accessing badger vaccination, particularly in areas where bTB remains a persistent disease threat.

However, practical details around how farmers and landowners engage with the service, and how it operates at farm level, are likely to be important in determining uptake.

The project’s role within England’s wider TB eradication strategy will depend on how it works alongside existing disease control measures.

Its level of coverage in high-risk and edge areas will also be a key factor in assessing its impact.

The launch comes as bovine TB remains one of the most difficult and costly animal health challenges facing cattle farmers.

Its impact will depend on how widely the service is taken up, the level of coverage achieved and how effectively it works alongside existing disease control measures.

Those interested in finding out more about the project can visit the Badger Vaccination Field Force website.