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Badgers & Bovine TB

We provide the following quote from the fourth report of the Independent Scientific Group (ISG), on the subject of the pressure being put on the UK Government to expand the culling of badgers.

"9.7 Despite the fact that this scientific information is not yet available, pressure has been put on government and on the ISG from the outset of our work to sanction the culling of badgers outside trial areas, based on the preconceived view that localised badger culling had previously contributed significantly to the control of the disease. This view is not, however, supported by evidence or indeed by the logic of the Krebs report, which recommended initiating a trial specifically because the value of badger culling in controlling cattle TB was unknown. The ISG response to proposals for culling outside trial areas was embodied in our letter to Ministers (Second ISG Report16, Appendix E) and reasserted clearly that the scientific evidence needed to consider any such approach was being investigated by the ongoing RBCT and it was not appropriate to consider the culling of badgers outside trial areas until that study had been completed. Subsequently the results and analysis presented to the Minister in October 2003, and strengthened by further analysis in April 2004, have shown that reactive, localised culling, as conducted in the trial is at best ineffective and more likely counterproductive (see detailed discussion in Chapter 3). This finding has fully justified the considered scientific approach that we have consistently advised should be adopted, with action based on carefully collected data and rigorous statistical analysis. Whether more extensive, proactive culling has a role to play in the control of cattle TB has yet to be demonstrated but the question of culling badgers outside trial areas as a component of short term disease control must be put to one side until further trial results are forthcoming. Future policy development could also be informed by findings from the ongoing field trials in the Republic of Ireland when they are peer-reviewed and published, although consideration of these data must take into account the different environmental and ecological features in the Republic of Ireland compared to those prevailing in Great Britain."

Text in bold has been highlighted by us.

Visit the Defra web page on the ISG, and read their publications, including the full report.

Visit the Badger Trust web page on badgers and bovine TB

Visit the Nature web site article "Positive and negative effects of widespread badger culling on tuberculosis in cattle".

My nocturnal encounter with a comical, bedloving, manic digger.