Badger culling to control bovine tuberculosis is a contested policy with significant animal welfare costs.
Badger culling is one of the most controversial wildlife management policies in the UK, involving the killing of a protected species to control a cattle disease. The welfare costs are significant — both in terms of the deaths of badgers and the potential perturbation effect, where culling disrupts badger social groups and may increase disease spread. Scientific evidence for culling effectiveness has been consistently challenged. A vaccination program using an injectable BCG vaccine is available and being rolled out, providing a non-lethal alternative.