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MPs urged to end UK badger cull
Born Free staff and supporters alongside the Badger Trust and the League Against Cruel Sports attended the event.

Born Free charity lobbied MPs to bring end to badger culling.

Born Free staff and supporters alongside the Badger Trust and the League Against Cruel Sports attended an event at the Houses of Parliament to lobby MPs to bring an immediate end to the UK badger cull.

Attendees included Born Free’s head of policy Dr Mark Jones, its British wildlife advocate Dominic Dyer, Peter Hambly from the Badger Trust, and ecologist Tom Langton.

In 2022, Dr Jones, Mr Langton and veterinary surgeon Iain McGill authored a study published in VetRecord which analysed the impact of badger culling on bovine tuberculosis in cattle in the high-risk area of England.

Their study, which examined government data obtained over a wide area from 2009-2020, failed to identify a meaningful effect of badger culling on bTB in English cattle herds. 

Dr Jones said: “Since 2013, more than 210,000 badgers have been cruelly killed under licence in England, yet the evidence for its effectiveness in reducing Bovine TB is at best equivocal. In spite of promises to the contrary, there are real fears that the government plans to extend culling for many years to come, which could lead to the disappearance of badgers from areas of the country they have inhabited since the ice age. 

“We hope our efforts in Westminster today will help to persuade at least a few MPs that the time to bring an end to this inhumane, ineffective and unnecessary slaughter is long overdue, and we urge ministers and the Chief Vet and Chief Scientist at Defra to meet with us to hear our concerns. 

“I would like to thank everyone who attended the parliamentary lobby and urge all our friends and supporters to keep calling for an end to the cull. With our wildlife in crisis, it cannot be right for government to licence the mass extermination of one of our few remaining iconic mammals for the sake of political expediency.”

The UK badger cull is part of the Government’s 25-year strategy to eradicate bovine tuberculosis and protect the livelihoods of dairy and beef farmers.

Recent Government statistics revealed that the number of cattle slaughtered due to a TB incident in England is at its lowest level since 2008.

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Reporting service for dead wild birds updated

News Story 1
 The Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) has updated its online reporting service for dead wild birds.

The new version allows those reporting a dead bird to drop a pin on a map when reporting the location. It also includes a wider range of wild bird species groups to select from when describing the bird.

The online service, which helps APHA to monitor the spread of diseases such as avian influenza, can be accessed here. 

Click here for more...
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NI chief vet urges bluetongue vigilance

Northern Ireland's chief veterinary officer (CVO) has urged farmers to be vigilant for signs of bluetongue, after the Animal and Plant Health Agency warned there was a very high probability of further cases in Great Britain.

There have been 126 confirmed cases of bluetongue virus serotype 3 in England since November 2023, with no cases reported in Northern Ireland. The movement of live ruminants from Great Britain to Northern Ireland is currently suspended.

According to the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA), the virus is most likely to enter Northern Ireland through infected animals or germplasm (semen or ova) being imported.

Brian Dooher, Northern Ireland's CVO, said: "Surveillance for this disease within Northern Ireland has been increased to assist with detection at the earliest opportunity which will facilitate more effective control measures."

Farmers should report any suspicions of the disease to their private veterinary practitioner, the DAERA Helpline on 0300 200 7840 or their local DAERA Direct Veterinary Office.