Farm Animals

Cattle Welfare: Mycobacterium bovis and bTB

Bovine tuberculosis (bTB) causes significant welfare losses for affected cattle and creates policy tensions around badger culling and vaccination.

Key Facts

bTB affects approximately 30,000 cattle annually in England, with significant welfare costs for affected herds
Cattle testing and slaughter policy aims to control the disease but creates welfare costs for positive reactors
The role of badgers in bTB epidemiology is established but contested in terms of culling effectiveness
Badger vaccination programmes are being developed as a welfare-consistent alternative to culling

Welfare Considerations

bTB control creates welfare challenges for cattle, badgers, and the farming families affected. Policy must balance the welfare cost of disease against the welfare costs of control measures, with honest engagement with the evidence on the most effective and welfare-consistent approaches.

What You Can Do

Support badger vaccination programmes as a welfare-consistent alternative to culling
Engage with the evidence-based debate on bTB control in cattle and wildlife
Advocate for welfare-conscious bTB control policies that minimise suffering for all species involved