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Failed Gloucestershire badger cull may have increased TB risk for cattle Failed Gloucestershire badger cull may have increased TB risk for cattle
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The failure of the controversial badger cull in Gloucestershire to come close to its target means it is "very likely" that the risk of tuberculosis in cattle has gone up, not down, according to a leading scientist.The failure of the controversial badger cull in Gloucestershire to come close to its target means it is "very likely" that the risk of tuberculosis in cattle has gone up, not down, according to a leading scientist.
Badger culling is intended to cut bovine TB but the pilot cull in Gloucestershire, despite having been almost doubled in length to 11 weeks, killed just 39% of the badgers estimated to be in the area. The initial target had been a minimum of 70% in a maximum of six weeks.Badger culling is intended to cut bovine TB but the pilot cull in Gloucestershire, despite having been almost doubled in length to 11 weeks, killed just 39% of the badgers estimated to be in the area. The initial target had been a minimum of 70% in a maximum of six weeks.
"It's very likely that so far this cull will have increased the TB risk for cattle inside the Gloucestershire cull zone rather than reducing it," said Prof Rosie Woodroffe, a key member of the team that conducted an earlier, decade-long trial of badger culling."It's very likely that so far this cull will have increased the TB risk for cattle inside the Gloucestershire cull zone rather than reducing it," said Prof Rosie Woodroffe, a key member of the team that conducted an earlier, decade-long trial of badger culling.
However, the environment secretary ,Owen Paterson, told parliament on Monday that the extended cull had been a success. "The extension in Gloucestershire has been successful in meeting its aim in preparing the ground for a fully effective four year cull," Paterson said. "The independent panel of experts will now consider the information collected during the pilots on the safety, effectiveness and humaneness of controlled shooting. This will inform my decision on the wider roll-out of badger control in those parts of England most severely affected by this disease." He said that between January and August 2013, more than 22,500 otherwise healthy cattle had been slaughtered because of bovine TB. However, the environment secretary, Owen Paterson, told parliament on Monday that the extended cull had been a success. "The extension in Gloucestershire has been successful in meeting its aim in preparing the ground for a fully effective four-year cull," Paterson said. "The independent panel of experts will now consider the information collected during the pilots on the safety, effectiveness and humaneness of controlled shooting. This will inform my decision on the wider roll-out of badger control in those parts of England most severely affected by this disease." He said that between January and August 2013, more than 22,500 otherwise healthy cattle had been slaughtered because of bovine TB.
The extended Gloucestershire cull ended on Saturday, three weeks earlier than planned due to very low numbers of badgers being shot. Natural England revoked the extension licence, with the agreement of the culling company and the National Farmers Union (NFU), but licences permitting six-week culls over four years in Gloucestershire and Somerset remain in place.The extended Gloucestershire cull ended on Saturday, three weeks earlier than planned due to very low numbers of badgers being shot. Natural England revoked the extension licence, with the agreement of the culling company and the National Farmers Union (NFU), but licences permitting six-week culls over four years in Gloucestershire and Somerset remain in place.
Prof David Macdonald, a badger expert at Oxford University and lead scientist on the board of Natural England, told the Guardian: "Revoking the licence was the right decision. Those facing this decision at Natural England should be congratulated on their dedication to following the evidence."Prof David Macdonald, a badger expert at Oxford University and lead scientist on the board of Natural England, told the Guardian: "Revoking the licence was the right decision. Those facing this decision at Natural England should be congratulated on their dedication to following the evidence."
Anti-cull campaigners labelled the cull a "fiasco" and a "shambles" after the end of the cull was revealed by the Guardian on Friday. Maria Eagle, shadow environment secretary, said: "The decision to revoke this badger cull licence is a humiliation for Owen Paterson and must spell the end for his misguided and unscientific policy. It's clear that the government's continual moving of the goalposts on these culls has rendered them worthless, while risking the further spread of TB, and they should now be abandoned." Anti-cull campaigners labelled the cull a fiasco and a shambles after the end of the cull was revealed by the Guardian on Friday. Maria Eagle, shadow environment secretary, said: "The decision to revoke this badger cull licence is a humiliation for Owen Paterson and must spell the end for his misguided and unscientific policy. It's clear that the government's continual moving of the goalposts on these culls has rendered them worthless, while risking the further spread of TB, and they should now be abandoned."
The pilot culls were intended to test whether shooting free-running badgers at night could kill sufficient numbers of the animal to reduce TB in cattle herds. An earlier, decade-long trial called the randomised badger culling trial (RBCT) found that culling could after four years curb TB infections by about 16%, but it used the more expensive method of trapping the badgers in cages before shooting them.The pilot culls were intended to test whether shooting free-running badgers at night could kill sufficient numbers of the animal to reduce TB in cattle herds. An earlier, decade-long trial called the randomised badger culling trial (RBCT) found that culling could after four years curb TB infections by about 16%, but it used the more expensive method of trapping the badgers in cages before shooting them.
The RBCT culls were also carried out quickly – within eight to 11 days – and experts have warned repeatedly that the much longer and less effective current pilots risk actually increasing TB, as fleeing badgers spread the disease more widely, an effect called perturbation. The scientists behind the decade-long trial have called the cull "mindless" and a "costly distraction".The RBCT culls were also carried out quickly – within eight to 11 days – and experts have warned repeatedly that the much longer and less effective current pilots risk actually increasing TB, as fleeing badgers spread the disease more widely, an effect called perturbation. The scientists behind the decade-long trial have called the cull "mindless" and a "costly distraction".
Woodroffe told the Guardian: "The current situation shows the risks of trying to control cattle TB by killing badgers. The 70% target has been revised down again and again, from at least 70%, to hopefully 70%, to 53%, and now we learn that only 39% was achieved."Woodroffe told the Guardian: "The current situation shows the risks of trying to control cattle TB by killing badgers. The 70% target has been revised down again and again, from at least 70%, to hopefully 70%, to 53%, and now we learn that only 39% was achieved."
"Culling low numbers of badgers, over a prolonged period, during these winter months, are all associated with increased TB," she said. "As Defra [Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs], Natural England, the NFU, and the farmers themselves consider how to proceed, they can bear in mind two important lessons learned from these pilot culls. First, because cull companies can't kill enough badgers, fast enough, the disease control benefits of this sort of culling are likely to be smaller than Defra estimated. Second, because free shooting didn't work and because there was massive public protest, the costs of culling are much higher than expected.""Culling low numbers of badgers, over a prolonged period, during these winter months, are all associated with increased TB," she said. "As Defra [Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs], Natural England, the NFU, and the farmers themselves consider how to proceed, they can bear in mind two important lessons learned from these pilot culls. First, because cull companies can't kill enough badgers, fast enough, the disease control benefits of this sort of culling are likely to be smaller than Defra estimated. Second, because free shooting didn't work and because there was massive public protest, the costs of culling are much higher than expected."
Woodroffe said the £1m spent on policing just the first six weeks of culling in Gloucestershire could have secured five years of volunteer-led badger vaccination over a similarly large area. "Vaccination by volunteers is cheaper than culling and it also builds bridges between farmers and wildlife lovers, instead of setting them at odds," she said.Woodroffe said the £1m spent on policing just the first six weeks of culling in Gloucestershire could have secured five years of volunteer-led badger vaccination over a similarly large area. "Vaccination by volunteers is cheaper than culling and it also builds bridges between farmers and wildlife lovers, instead of setting them at odds," she said.
Paterson's written statement to parliament said: "I would like to pay tribute to the local farmers and landowners who have undertaken the pilots in both areas, often in difficult terrain and weather, and often in the face of intimidation by a small minority." He added: "Culling is only one part of our approach to tackle the spread of TB. We are using every tool available including tougher movement controls for cattle, better biosecurity on farms and working to develop effective and usable cattle and badger vaccines."Paterson's written statement to parliament said: "I would like to pay tribute to the local farmers and landowners who have undertaken the pilots in both areas, often in difficult terrain and weather, and often in the face of intimidation by a small minority." He added: "Culling is only one part of our approach to tackle the spread of TB. We are using every tool available including tougher movement controls for cattle, better biosecurity on farms and working to develop effective and usable cattle and badger vaccines."
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