A landmark review has delivered a devastating blow to the controversial badger culling policy, urging the new Labour government to abandon the practice in favour of a science-led vaccination strategy.
The government-commissioned report, seen by The Guardian, concludes that the pursuit of a cattle vaccine and an oral badger vaccine bait represents the most effective and sustainable long-term solution to combating bovine tuberculosis (bTB). It highlights a critical window of opportunity to prevent a potential zoonotic disease spillover, where the disease could jump from animals to humans more easily.
A Shift in Strategy
The findings advocate for a complete strategic U-turn. Instead of culling, the report champions the rapid development and deployment of a cattle vaccine, a goal that has eluded ministers for over a decade. This approach is presented as not only more humane but also more scientifically robust for controlling the disease reservoir in wildlife and livestock.
Furthermore, the review presses for urgent investment in creating an edible oral bait to deliver the badger vaccine, a method that would be far less labour-intensive and costly than the current practice of trapping and injecting wild badgers.
Political and Practical Implications
For Environment Secretary Steve Reed, the report presents both a challenge and a clear directive. It effectively shelves the previous administration's strategy and piles pressure on the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) to accelerate its vaccine programme.
The timing is crucial. With the badger cull already a deeply polarising issue, pitting farmers against wildlife conservationists, this scientific endorsement of a non-lethal alternative allows the government to align its policy with both public sentiment and expert advice. The report underscores that a failure to act decisively could have dire consequences, not just for the farming industry but for public health.
The message from experts is clear: the era of the badger cull is over. The future of bovine TB management lies in innovation, vaccination, and a commitment to preventing another devastating zoonotic pandemic.
