Bovine tuberculosis (bTB) costs the UK tens of millions of pounds every year and CBVP recognises the hardship that it causes in the farming community and the need to find the right mechanisms to control the disease, both in domestic animals and our wildlife.

Badgers play a role in the bTB disease cycle, albeit a small one. It is estimated that 6% of TB transmission is badger to cattle (http://www.tbknowledgeexchange.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/TBKE_Donnelly-2013.pdf)

BCG vaccination of badgers could be an important component of a comprehensive programme of measures to reduce the prevalence, incidence and spread of bTB.  We hope our work will contribute to the local control of bTB in cattle by creating immunity in a population of Cheshire badgers, thus supporting local farmers whilst protecting badgers.

Badger BCG vaccination alone is not the solution to bTB, but it does have an immediate effect with no known associated negative impact other than cost. Our programme aims to make a worthwhile contribution towards finding a practical solution to a serious animal disease problem and our long-term goal is to ‘seal off’ the badger population in the endemic area of Cheshire with a barrier of non-susceptible (vaccinated) animals.

The trapping and vaccination in the defined area will be repeated for 4 consecutive years, in order that ‘herd immunity’ is achieved. A reduction in the prevalence and severity of disease in the badger population will reduce the potential for transmission of TB from badgers to cattle.

The badger vaccination programme in Cheshire is planned to support landowners, farmers and the wildlife. Bovine tuberculosis (bTB) has had a devastating effect on the farming community in Cheshire, with 128 herds declared not officially disease free in the 12 months up to October 2017.

In a clinical field study, BCG vaccination of wild badgers resulted in a 74% reduction in the proportion of badgers giving positive results to TB tests. A reduction in the prevalence and severity of the disease in badgers could reduce the degree of TB transmission to cattle.

Vaccinating badgers is not the complete answer to eradicating TB in cattle but just one of a series of actions that need to happen. Farmers and landowners must play their part too, in increasing biosecurity on their land and ensuring rigorous testing is in place for their cattle.

By vaccinating around the edge of the Cheshire cull zone, it is hoped that a population of badgers that are immune to TB, will prevent the spread into the low risk areas for bTB.

The area chosen to start the vaccination programme, is contiguous with the area currently being vaccinated by the Derbyshire programme and the area vaccinated by the Wirral and Cheshire Badger Group. Therefore, a large area containing vaccinated badgers, will be developed.