A government-commissioned report has urged Labour to end the badger cull and adopt a Covid-style approach to testing and vaccination to combat bovine tuberculosis (bTB). The review, led by Sir Charles Godfray, warns that current plans to stop shooting badgers by 2029 are achievable only with significant Treasury investment.
The report states that without a 'step change' in urgency and resources, the government's target of eradicating bTB in England by 2038 has only a 'small chance' of being met. It calls for a mindset shift from managing the disease to defeating it, noting that the current £150m annual cost to taxpayers could be reduced with upfront investment.
Sir Charles emphasised that badgers do spread bTB to cattle, contradicting some campaigners, but argued that non-lethal control through vaccination is viable. 'We saw during the Covid-19 pandemic how things can move much faster when there is real focus,' he said, adding that scaling up badger vaccination requires considerable work.
The report proposes measures including microchipping cattle to track movements and interactions with infected animals. It also highlights the need for more accurate blood tests for cattle, as the standard skin test misses some early-stage infections. Vaccinating cattle could reduce transmission in large herds, which pose particular challenges.
Farming minister Daniel Zeichner welcomed the report but did not confirm whether the badger cull would end within this parliament as previously promised. The government has already deployed a new badger vaccinator field force following a record year for vaccination in 2024.
