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Assessing effects from four years of industry-led badger culling in England on the incidence of bovine tuberculosis in cattle, 2013–2017
The objective was to measure the association between badger culling and bovine tuberculosis (TB) incidents in cattle herds in three areas of England between 2013–2017 (Gloucestershire and Somerset) and 2015–2017 (Dorset). Farming industry-selected licensed culling areas were matched to...
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Published: 11 October 2019
Assessing effects from four years of industry-led badger culling in England on the incidence of bovine tuberculosis in cattle, 2013–2017
Discussion
The results from this study showed that there were statistically significant decreases in cattle TB incidence in the Gloucestershire and Somerset intervention areas after four years of culling, consistent with an earlier analysis based on two years of badger culling11. The decreases in confirmed TB (OTF-W) incidence rates relative to comparison areas observed were 66% (95% CI 61 to 71%) and 37% (95% CI 31 to 42%) in Gloucestershire and Somerset respectively. However, there was no change in OTF-W incidence after two years of culling in Dorset central zone. Decreases in OTF-W incidence rates in the Gloucestershire and Dorset buffer zones relative to comparison area buffer zones were also observed, which were unexpected. Other research suggests that an increase in cattle TB may occur in areas surrounding culling areas due to increased M. bovis transmission caused by perturbation (increased mixing) of badger populations24.
