Badger vaccination underway
John Griffiths, the Welsh Government’s Environment Minister, has confirmed that badger vaccination in North Pembrokeshire is underway, following his announcement in March of plans to embark on a badger vaccination programme within the Intensive Action Area in order to eradicate bovine TB in Wales.
Monday saw the vaccination programme officially begin in West Wales, it will continue throughout the summer and into early autumn. Over 275 badgers have been successfully trapped and vaccinated against TB so far. This is the first time that a project to cage trap and vaccinate badgers on such a scale has been undertaken.
The programme concentrates its efforts in the Intensive Action Area, primarily located in north Pembrokeshire, but includes small parts of Ceredigion and Carmarthenshire. It covers approximately 288 square kilometres.
Mr Griffiths explained: “Our decision to pursue a vaccination programme has enabled us to take quick and decisive action aimed at developing a degree of immunity to TB within the badger population. We believe that this will reduce the risk of TB transmission from badgers to cattle.”
He concluded: “I would like to thank farmers and landowners for their co-operation. We will be monitoring the results of vaccination, and of our whole eradication programme, carefully to ensure we are making good progress towards our ultimate goal of a TB-free Wales.”
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