Political divide on bTB rules risks ‘even bigger tragedy’ – NFU chief

Political divisions over the role of badger culling in combating bTB risk are creating an “even bigger tragedy” than the disease itself, a senior farmers’ representative has warned.

The Government appeared to reaffirm its support for the controversial policy, following recent commitments against it by Labour, during the National TB Conference in Worcester.

But Defra officials later insisted no decisions on future wildlife control measures had been made, while a prominent critic blamed “ill-informed and vested interests” for the cull lasting so long.

Renewed focus

The future of the policy has been brought into renewed focus by a seemingly clear division between the UK’s two main political parties.

In October, Labour pledged to end the cull in England, which is estimated to have led to the deaths of up to 250,000 badgers since 2013, if it wins the next general election, although recently reported comments suggest the practice may continue in the short term.

The party currently runs the devolved administration in Wales, where culling is not used and where a recent report claimed year-on-year incidents of bTB were down by more than 18%.

But the TB conference, held at the Sixways Stadium on 29 November, was told that the number of cattle contracting the disease in England is at its lowest level in 15 years, while new disease breakdowns are at a 19-year low.

‘Tide is turning’

In a statement read to the conference, farming minister Mark Spencer said bTB had been a “tragedy” for the agricultural sector, but insisted both that “the tide is turning” against the disease and culling remains part of its plan to control it.

He said: “Where the evidence supports culling, we will continue to take that course.”

Later, during a panel discussion, NFU deputy president Tom Bradshaw said he would “unashamedly” argue that wildlife control had been the most significant factor in reducing disease levels.

He said: “It has exceeded all expectations, and we have to be really mindful not to lose what has already been delivered there.

“It would be an even bigger tragedy if politics got in the way of delivering the eradication strategy for the future.”

But, despite the public praise for the policy, a consultation on future plans – including the use of targeted culling where epidemiological assessments conclude it is necessary – has yet to be launched, despite being expected for several months.

Slow progress

During the conference, Helen Forrester, an NFU advisor working in Cumbria, criticised Defra for slow progress in responding to work in the county on the development of an epidemiological model for culling, warning there seemed to be no end point for the work.

The department told Vet Times the strategy had brought about a “significant reduction” in disease levels, but conceded clarity on the future policy pathway was needed.

Asked whether the anticipated consultation would begin before Christmas, a spokesperson added: “We are working to provide further detail at the earliest opportunity.”

But although he agrees infections are reducing, independent consultant biologist Tom Langton argued that is primarily down to increased and more frequent testing, and urged policymakers to “follow the science” on the issue.

Careful analysis

He said: “Wales shows that badger culling is unnecessary and ineffective, as does careful analysis of the data from England’s culls using the correct methodology.

“It is shocking that approaching 250,000 badgers have been killed across England over the past 10 years due to flawed logic and illogical hatred whipped up against badgers by ill-informed and vested interests.”

Despite the division over culling, policymakers in England and Wales both claim to be on course to achieving official bTB-free status by 2038 and 2041, respectively.

Conference delegates were repeatedly urged to use all the measures at their disposal against the disease, as the UK’s deputy CVO, Eleanor Brown, warned current levels were still too high.

But major frontiers in the longer-term battle are the development of new skin tests, of which field trials are ongoing, and a vaccine for cattle.

Encouraging results

Although the conference was told that a BCG jab for cattle was still likely to be several years away and would require a change in the law to enable its use, encouraging results have been recorded from studies in New Zealand and Ethiopia, the latter of which is currently being peer-reviewed.

Professor James Wood said the vaccine would not be a “silver bullet”, but added: “I’m quite excited about how this could impact this really awful disease.”

However, concerns were also raised about the need for policies to keep up with scientific advances.

Responding to a floor comment about repeated loss of cattle to breakdowns, TB Advisory Service technical director Sarah Tomlinson said: “We could go in with more sensitive tests and wipe them out in theory.”

Meanwhile, Keith Cutler, of Synergy Farm Health, questioned whether risk-based assessments, similar to those used for Johne’s disease, would be a more appropriate approach to bTB control.