26 Oct 2022
Officials told delegates at BCVA Congress they aim to have a viable jab for use on cattle by 2025.
Allister Webb
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Image: © Halfpoint / Adobe Stock.
A consultation on how a vaccine against bTB might be deployed among the UK’s cattle population could begin within months, the BCVA’s annual congress has heard.
Officials said it remains their aim to have a viable jab available for use in 2025, despite campaigners’ fears that controversial badger culling policies could continue beyond that date.
But several hundred badgers have been vaccinated against the disease in one project, while the head of a support scheme for farmers said it had “upskilled” vets’ approach to the disease, too.
Government agencies have faced months of sustained criticism over their bTB policy – particularly the continued intense culling of badgers.
But Nick Lyons, veterinary head of TB policy advice for the APHA, told the conference in Birmingham: “We are looking to move the emphasis away from culling towards vaccination.”
At this stage, it is envisaged the jab, which is based on the BCG jab given to children, would be administered annually.
The agency plans to begin a consultation on how the vaccine could be used in early 2023, while scientists at the APHA’s Weybridge research labs in Surrey are examining issues including the duration of immunity given.
Dr Lyons said there had been a shift towards the use of PCR tests for bTB as results can be supplied in less than three weeks, compared to around 22 weeks using previous culture-based techniques.
He also defended its stance on the use of some tests following floor comments suggesting clients were prepared to pay privately for tests that officials don’t currently recognise.
He said: “We want to use validated tests. It’s important we spend taxpayers’ money on tests that are validated. It would be irresponsible to spend Government money on tests that aren’t validated.”
The congress also heard details of a Defra-funded pilot scheme to reduce bTB levels in East Sussex, which is an isolated edge area of risk.
Almost 600 badgers have been given jabs against the disease so far and organisers aim to cover an area of 250 sq km by the time the current vaccination season ends in November.
Project manager Lindsay Heasman said the programme had also helped vets, as well as enjoying the support of the vast majority of farmers in the area.
Dr Heasman said: “Vets feel there is nothing they can do about TB and there is.”
The message was echoed by Sarah Tomlinson, technical director of the TB Advisory Service, who said farmers were more likely to take advice from vets working on the scheme.
She said greater awareness of warning signs of the disease in badgers were needed to help farmers keep it out.
But she added: “We have upskilled a whole generation of vets to think about TB as an infectious disease.”
More than 2,200 farms were visited by the scheme during 2017 and 2021, with 92% describing its advice as “very useful”.
