The elusive prize for both farmers and badger lovers is the prevention of bovine TB (bTB) in cattle and badgers. The current policy of improved bTB cattle testing, tighter cattle movement regulation, on farm bio-security (separating badgers and cattle) and some farmer compensation for infected cattle is showing results. However, the development of a vaccine for badgers and cattle would make a real and lasting difference.
That prospect is beginning to become real with the Badger Vaccine Deployment Programme that DEFRA is commencing this year. Two study areas in Gloucestershire will see the first field trials of an injected vaccine for badgers. Subsequently, another four areas will be receiving badger vaccines. A skilled group of badger innoculators will be trained during the trials.
Gloucestershire Wildlife Trust has been involved with the testing phase of the badger vaccine by permitting its usage on badgers within one of its nature reserves. The Trust is now registered as part of the vaccine trials and will actively support the vaccination of badgers on selected nature reserves. Full details of this programme are still becoming available (more information on this subject is available here) but the eventual outcome should be badger social groups that have significant immunity to bTB following five consecutive years of vaccination. The fully developed vaccine will not be cheap, for farmers or wildlife conservation groups, but the results should be worthy of the outlay.
Eventually the badger vaccine may become available as an oral treatment; badgers find peanuts an irresistible treat! The development of an injectable vaccine for cattle will take longer but the first trials might be possible by 2016. This is a very big prize at the end of a long and difficult path; not quite the yellow brick road, but equally mysterious.
Badger by Wildstock
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