Bovine tuberculosis is a serious disease of cattle and other livestock in the UK, causing major financial losses to farmers and taxpayers. While all mammals can become infected with TB it is the badger that is thought to be the main wildlife species involved in the persistence of the disease and its transmission to livestock. It is widely accepted that it will not be possible to eradicate bovine TB in livestock without dealing with the reservoir of infection in badgers.
Vaccinating badgers against bovine TB has been proven to be safe and effective. Vaccination with BCG reduces the progression, severity and excretion of the disease and has been shown to reduce the number of badgers that test positive to any of the tests for bovine tuberculosis. It has also been demonstrated that there are no discernible negative effects of badger vaccination for badgers or livestock. A reduction in the level of bovine TB in the badger population is thought to reduce the risk of transmission of the disease from badgers to cattle.
There is no minimum size of area required for vaccination to be successful and it is possible to reduce the risk of transmission of TB from badgers to cattle and vice versa at a single farm level. Therefore, we are happy to work on individual farms or for multiple landowners. We are skilled in surveying for badger signs and positioning traps to ensure we maximise the probability of vaccinating a sufficient proportion of badgers to provide a successful vaccination programme.
We are fully trained, accredited by LANTRA and are certified as lay vaccinators of badgers against bovine TB. We have experience in obtaining Natural England licences for trapping badgers for the purpose of vaccination and complying with all the necessary legal requirements.
During 2012 Mike and Bryce worked for the Welsh Government on the bovine TB eradication programme in west Wales and successfully vaccinated over two hundred badgers.
WildlifeCo was established in December 2012 and offers tailor made vaccination programmes.
