Tackling bovine TB: Badger cull or vaccine?

Adrian Campbell
BBC SW Environment correspondent

Badgers are believed to spread bovine TB to cows

The green and fertile lowlands in the south of Ireland look similar to much of Devon and Cornwall and, like the Irish Republic, both counties have problems with bovine TB.

Believed to be most commonly spread by badgers, Irish politicians say they have spent hundreds of millions of euros in recent years trying to solve the issue but, so far, have failed.

The first vaccination deployment for badgers with bovine TB in England has already begun.

But despite the south west of England being a hotspot for the disease, in particular two areas near Tiverton in north Devon, it will have to wait longer than other parts of the country for the vaccine.

Party differences

Across the region, ten of millions of pounds of tax payers' money has already been spent compensating farmers whose cattle have contracted the disease.

Many farmers want a limited cull of the badger, but most animal welfare groups say such a move is too cruel as the animals may be injured when captured and not killed outright instantly.

Unlike England, the Irish have had a culling policy for badgers where wire snares are used to trap badgers which are then shot.

But what do British political parties have to offer?

The Conservative Party said it considered the issue of bovine TB the "most pressing animal health problem in the UK today".

Farmers have called for culls to protect cattle from the disease

It said it would have a "carefully-managed" and "science-led" policy of badger control in areas with "high and persistent levels" of the disease.

The Labour Party said the only way to beat bovine TB in the long-term was by "developing a vaccine".

It said a badger vaccine deployment project had already begun in six high-incidence areas in England and will continue for at least five years in each area.

The Liberal Democrats said a science-based cull was needed in targeted areas under strict guidelines.

It added that a programme of vaccines, regular testing and compulsory post-movement testing for cattle moving from high to low risk areas was also needed.