Badgers About- But Not For Long?

There is every likelihood of an acrimonious row developing, given the news that the Rural Affairs Minister in the Welsh Assembly (Elin Jones) is to approve a 'trial' cull of badgers in north Pembrokeshire in an attempt to remove Bovine TB from dairy cattle herds (http://www.newswales.co.uk/?section=Agriculture&F=1&id=16637). This has been met with enthusiasm by farming interests and with dismay by badger groups. It is certainly the case that compensation for infected cattle in this region costs an awful lot of money (around £30m in annual compensation, a fact that appears to be focusing political attention ) and that Bovine TB is also found in a variable percentage of wild badgers. Who gives the disease to who is, however, debatable but, if in doubt, humans tend to blame the wild animal. Even agricultural folk recognise, however, that the TB screening of cattle is not perfect and that movement of these animals may be a factor in the spread of the disease. In general, attempts to control disease in this manner can exacerbate the situation as the removal of animals encourages movement of animals into the vacated area. In England, the alternative plan is to vaccinate badger populations against Bovine TB, a process that might result in stable, disease-free populations of these animals in locations that they share with cattle. Perhaps it might be instructive to see which approach works best.