Farm Maitenence Could Prevent Badgers Passing On TB to Cattle

The Animal Health and Veterinary Laboratories Agency (AHVLA) have worked alongside farmers in a unique experiment in which badgers were monitored by surveillance cameras.

Following the Badger cull debate, the AHVLA have installed surveillance cameras on 75 farms in the South West. Their footage offers an alternative to those who are all for culling of badgers to go ahead.

Badgers can carry the Bovine TB disease, and can also pass it on to cattle, making them unfavourable amongst the farming industry. However, the surveillance footage recovered by the AHVLA shows that some simple maintenance could stop badgers entering farms, and could therefore stop cattle and farm animals contracting the Bovine TB disease.

One particular piece of footage showed a rather persistent badger entering a farm by making its way under surrounding fencing. From this footage the owner of the farm put a piece of wood along the bottom of the fence which stopped the Badger entering.

Ian Vernon, from the AHVLA Wildlife Team running the Farm Assessment Toolkit project, said: “We had a fantastic take-up from our volunteer farms and we’ve spent the last few months installing cameras - the final ones will be going up in August. We’re also starting to conduct individual surveys to understand badger activity near the farm buildings and to record details of farming practices and landscape features.

“There’s still a lot of work to do collating and analysing data, but we’ve made good progress and we’re starting to see images come back from the cameras installed this year.

“In some cases farmers have had no idea badgers are entering their buildings.

“Ultimately, the study will help farmers consider whether to install bio security measures for their farms.”

The AHVLA are reporting back to all the farmers who have had their properties surveyed, and are making renovation suggestions that could stop badgers being regular visitors on their farms.

Anthony Pope, lead Advisor of the South West TB Farm Advisory Group said: “The determination of badgers to enter the enclosure was quite astounding and highlights the challenge farmers have in keeping them from accessing different areas of their farms.

“We hope that the project will inspire people to come up with new ideas for future badger proof equipment to reduce contact between badgers and livestock and reduce the risk of spreading bovine TB from badgers to cattle.”

Further information about the project can be found at http://www.southwest-tbadvice.co.uk/biosecurity/bicton-college-biosecurity-project.