VACCINATING badgers is a practical and underused tool in the fight against bovine tuberculosis in the county, a new report from Gloucestershire Wildlife Trust has claimed.

In a report published today, Tuesday, the Trust says it has demonstrated that vaccinating badgers instead of culling is an efficient and financially viable means of dealing with the disease.

But it stressed that more research is needed to demonstrate the link between vaccinating badgers and the control of bovine tuberculosis (bTB) in cattle.

The debate around badgers and their role in the spread of bTB has been one of the most divisive and high profile farming and wildlife issues in Stroud in the past few years.

Farmers claim that the cull is a necessary step in reducing TB in cattle, but anti-cull campaigners say the practice is cruel and ineffective and want the focus to be on other measures.

In 2011 Gloucestershire Wildlife Trust (GWT) was the first non-government organisation in the UK to pioneer one of these alternatives - the vaccination of badgers against TB.

Over the past five years it has worked on programs on its nature reserves in the Stroud Valleys, vaccinating more than 200 badgers.

Roger Mortlock, chief executive of GWT, hailed the study as a success.

“The trial set out to show that vaccinating wild badgers could be done efficiently,” he said.

“The science supports that by doing this we’ve reduced TB in the badger population where we’ve vaccinated.

“But farmers deserve more research to explore the link between vaccinating badgers and the spread of bTB in cattle.

“Five years ago many assumed that vaccinating badgers would be both impractical and costly. This report proves it can be done.”

According to the study, badger vaccination is capable of reducing the incidence of positive tests for bTB in wild badgers by almost 74 per cent.

Jeanne Berry from Gloucestershire Against Badger Shooting (GABS) welcomed the findings.

“We are very pleased with the Trust’s work over the past few years, it’s great to see them lead the way on alternatives to culling.

“The cost to vaccinate a badger is just over £200, whereas figures released earlier this year out the cost of culling one badger at £6,700. These figures are impossible to ignore.

“Not only in vaccination more humane, it’s also more sensible economically.”

In 2013 Gloucestershire was one of the first counties selected by the Government to trial the culling of badgers, with the often controversial policy continuing for three years in a row.

GWT insisted it remains strongly opposed to the culling of badgers, claiming figures show there is no link between culling and reducing the disease.

The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) said: “We are on track to deliver our 25-year strategy to eradicate bovine TB from England to protect the future of our dairy and beef industries.

“Based on the advice of the Chief Vet we are adopting a measured approach which already includes vaccinating badgers in areas at risk from the spread of bovine TB, as well as tightened cattle testing and movement controls, and culling where the disease is widespread.

“As vaccination has no impact on infected badgers, we have been advised that it cannot entirely replace culling in areas where the disease is rife.”

For more information and a full copy of the report please visit www.gloucestershirewildlifetrust.co.uk/badgers