Bovine TB: Focus on the Real Cause, Not the Badgers

Badger Trust is calling for an end to ineffective badger culls and a shift in focus to the true source of bovine TB — transmission within cattle herds. Backed by scientific evidence and field experience, the Trust urges government action on cattle vaccination, improved testing, and farm biosecurity.

We believe the government is moving towards badger vaccination and ending the ineffective badger culls, however this is not the source of happiness you may have expected from Badger Trust, and here is why: we know that vaccinating badgers is not the solution to Bovine TB in cattle; it is a non-lethal, ongoing distraction from the main issue, which is that 94% of Bovine TB transmission occurs from cattle to cattle. 

Who fixes a problem by ignoring 94% of it?

In 2024, a BBC documentary, "The Badgers, The Farmers and Me," followed the ground breaking work of Sir Brian May, Anne Brummer, vet Dick Sibley, and farmer, Robert Reid, as they tackled Bovine TB on a farm under restrictions in Devon. 

The work of the Save Me Trust team is well-received by farmers. 

Anne Brummer, CEO at Save Me, said: 

Our 12 year Gatcombe Partnership shows us that Bovine TB persists within the herd. There is no silver bullet, but we do have the tools today to tackle it effectively. We now know that with 18 months of revised protocols, managed under our vet’s guidance, it is possible to identify the infection source and start cleaning up the herd.

Badgers are a distraction. Their role in transmission is zero to negligible. The solution lies within the herd itself, irrelevant of herd type. Focus there, and TB-free status can be achieved.

It is clear from Save Me’s Gatcombe project that they have solutions to the central issue of Bovine TB within cattle. Badger Trust launched its groundbreaking report, Tackling Bovine TB Together, in 2024. That report, based on the science and data, concludes that there is no need for the ongoing debate or further intervention in badger or wildlife management, such as culling or vaccination, as the solution is clear. 

Vaccinate the Cattle -  94% of Bovine TB transmission is cattle to cattle. 

Nigel Palmer, Badger Trust Chief Executive, said

It’s time to end the Badger Blame Game, stop the politics, end the cull and support farmers as they work towards eradicating Bovine TB from their cattle herds.

Authorise the use of improved testing that can distinguish between vaccinated, infected and infectious cattle and introduce restrictions on cattle movements and biosecurity on farms.

Badger Trust would welcome the end of the cruel and costly badger culls, which have proven ineffective. The real solution lies in tackling bovine TB at its source — within England’s cattle herds. Vaccination plays a role, but it is cattle that must be vaccinated.

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