Badger Culling, Bovine TB, and Welfare

The badger cull in the UK to control bovine tuberculosis raises serious welfare and scientific questions.

Key Facts

Bovine tuberculosis costs UK agriculture over 100 million pounds annually
Badgers can carry and transmit bTB to cattle in some circumstances
Culling effectiveness is disputed — perturbation effect may spread disease as badgers flee
A cattle vaccine exists but regulatory approval for use has been delayed
Ireland has used a combination of culling, testing, and movement controls with some success

Welfare Considerations

Badger culling causes significant welfare harm. Shooting methods leave a proportion of animals with non-lethal wounds that cause prolonged suffering. Cage trapping before shooting causes significant stress. Perturbation — where surviving badgers move to new areas carrying disease — may cause net harm to both wildlife and cattle. The strongest evidence-based alternative is improving cattle testing, movement controls, and developing cattle vaccination. Badgers that die injured from shooting suffer acutely while the evidence for population-level disease control remains weak.

What You Can Do

Support cattle bTB vaccination research and regulatory reform
Advocate for evidence-based bTB control that prioritizes cattle testing and movement controls
Donate to the Badger Trust advocacy and research programs
Write to representatives about improving TB testing sensitivity in cattle
Learn about the scientific evidence on badger culling effectiveness