A new Badger Vaccination Field Force for England has recently been launched by Defra, with the aim of increasing the scale and consistency of vaccination activity as part of ongoing efforts to manage bTB (bovine TB).
The government initiative will be delivered by Farmcare Solutions and see trained vaccination teams operating across parts of the high-risk and edge areas, delivering badger vaccination on behalf of landowners and farmers.
The project will target areas, determined by APHA, with higher levels of bTB in cattle and will sit alongside existing farmer-led schemes and locally organised projects.
In the first year, the project is focusing on three areas, in Shropshire, Worcestershire and Oxfordshire. Additional areas will be added each year as the project expands its capacity and scope.
Reducing the spread
Badger vaccination is expected to form a more prominent part of government policy in coming years. While vaccination does not cure already infected badgers, it is intended to help reduce the spread of disease within badger populations, with potential longer-term benefits for cattle herds.
For farmers, the field force may offer a more straightforward route to accessing vaccination, although practical details – including how to engage with the service and how it will operate at farm level – are likely to influence uptake.
How the vaccination field force integrates with existing disease control measures, and the extent of its coverage, will be important factors in assessing its role within the wider TB eradication strategy.
Members interested in finding out more information can visit the project website at bvff.co.uk.
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