Comprehensive TB eradication strategy more vital than ever

Welsh Government’s decision to suspend the badger vaccination project once again places a serious question as to the validity of their TB Eradication programme, says NFU Cymru.

The announcement by the Deputy Minister for Farming and Food, Rebecca Evans, will leave all cattle farmers 'deeply frustrated', especially farmers in the Intensive Action Area (IAA). These farmers have fully co-operated with government officials and have allowed them access onto their land to undertake the vaccination of badgers. Furthermore, IAA farmers have complied with a whole raft of additional cattle movement controls, biosecurity measures and additional testing of cattle, these have added significant costs and complications to their farming businesses.

NFU Cymru President, Stephen James said, “NFU Cymru has always questioned the appropriateness of badger vaccination as a method to deal with bTB in an area of Wales where the disease is endemic in the badger population. NFU Cymru has always maintained that in order to have a genuine strategy to eradicate this disease we need to use all available tools, actively removing infection in the wildlife population is an essential component of that strategy.

“NFU Cymru has always said that vaccination has a role to play in stopping the spread of bovine TB in areas of the country where disease incidence is low. Vaccination protects against disease but it does not cure a sick animal. A cost effective, proven vaccine for badgers may in future form part of a comprehensive strategy, but can never be used in isolation.

“Bovine TB continues to cause untold heartache and stress to cattle farmers across Wales. In the first eight months of 2015 we saw a 19% year on year increase in the number of cattle slaughtered as a result of bovine TB. Stringent cattle testing and movement controls will not eradicate this disease alone, action must be taken to remove the infection from badgers.

“Vaccination in a TB endemic area of Wales was never going to eradicate this disease and the shortage of BCG vaccine means that Welsh Government can no longer hide behind this fallacy, Government must now step up to the mark and introduce a comprehensive eradication strategy that includes removing the infection from the wildlife population.”