Vets dismiss 'unrealistic spin' on badger vaccination

THE British Veterinary Association (BVA) has described claims that badger vaccination represents a viable alternative to culling as ‘unrealistic spin’.

The Gloucestershire Wildlife Trust has published a report into its summer badger vaccination programme, which took place at seven of its nature reserves, including a dairy farm over a total area of 170 hectares.

In total 38 badgers were trapped and vaccinated at the seven sites. The first year capital cost of the project, which will be spread over a number of years, was £6,958 and the implementation cost was £7,110. The report said the average cost of the project equated to £51/ha.

“We are delighted with the results. The report provides proof that there is an affordable and viable alternative to the proposed cull,” the trust’s chief executive Dr. Gordon McGlone said.

He said it demonstrates that if groups of land owners join together to vaccinate badgers it would ‘become affordable with no associated negative impact’.

“Culling, as its most vocal supporters admit, may increase bTB in neighbouring herds through perturbation and as yet has no proven benefit,” he said.

The report suggest ways in which badger vaccination could be made cheaper, such as the removal of the Certificate of Competence costs and also recommends a free bTB vaccine advisory service is set up.

However, the BVA said the wildlife trust was giving a misleading impression of the benefits of vaccination.

BVA president Carl Padgett welcomed the initiative to investigate the deployment of the badger vaccine.

“But this work must not be confused with an investigation into the effectiveness of the badger vaccine in reducing or eradicating bovine TB,” he said.

“To conclude from this report that the badger vaccine is a viable alternative to culling in eradicating TB is unrealistic at best and spin at worst.

“The fact remains that the vaccine has no protective effect on infected badgers and we know that at least 30-40 per cent of badgers within an area will be infected. Many young badgers will be infected before they can be trapped and injected.

He said much more will be learnt from Defra’s Badger Vaccine Deployment Project which is looking at a much larger area of 100 sq km.

“Vaccination of badgers certainly has a role to play in an effective TB eradication programme but it is only one tool in the toolbox,” he said.

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