Badger Culling and Bovine TB – ISG Report

The Independent Science Group has published its final report to Defra on options for controlling TB in cattle. The ISG found that: “while badgers are clearly a source of cattle TB, careful evaluation of our own and others’ data indicates that badger culling can make no meaningful contribution to cattle TB control in Britain. Indeed, some policies under consideration are likely to make matters worse rather than better.” David Miliband has made an initial statement on the ISG’s findings.

The Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee is holding oral evidence sessions on the ISG’s report.

BES Journals have recently published the following papers related to badger culling and bovine TB.

• J. Vicente, et al. (2007) Social organization and movement influence the incidence of bovine tuberculosis in an undisturbed high-density badger Meles meles population. Journal of Animal Ecology.
• R. Woodroffe, et al. (2006) Effects of culling on badger (Meles meles) spatial organisation: implications for the control of bovine TB. Journal of Applied Ecology.