What is Bovine TB?

Bovine TB is a devastating disease, causing significant suffering to animals and financial strain on farmers, costing Northern Ireland over £50 million annually. Unfortunately, current methods are neither effective nor value for money.

The USPCA stands for a bTB eradication strategy rooted in science and evidence, not assumptions or outdated practices. Alongside the Northern Ireland Badger Group, we published Dispelling the Myths on bTB, which outlines the realities of the disease and debunks common misconceptions.

Why we oppose badger culling

Badgers are a protected species, and harming them or disturbing their setts is a criminal offence. Despite this, badger culling has been used in attempts to reduce bTB. However, the facts show:

  • Wales Rejected Culling: The Welsh Government’s strategy, which focuses on rigorous cattle testing, improved biosecurity, and controlled cattle movement, has led to a 31.3% decline in bTB herd incidence since 2012—outperforming England, where badger culling continues.
  • Culling Isn’t Working: Hundreds of thousands of badgers have been culled in Ireland and England, yet bTB persists.

A better, more humane solution

We support approaches that address the root causes of bTB without harming wildlife:

  • Enhanced Cattle Testing: Improved tests, like the Actiphage test, detect infections missed by current methods, reducing undetected reservoirs of bTB. This strategy was successfully implemented at Gatcombe Farm in Devon, eradicating bTB without badger culling.
  • Badger Vaccination: Badgers have a short lifespan of 3–5 years, meaning a vaccination program could quickly break the cycle of transmission.
  • Cattle Vaccination: Introducing vaccines for cattle would be a game-changer in controlling the spread of the disease.
  • Improved Biosecurity: Preventing disease transmission on farms is critical to long-term control.
     

Join the movement for evidence-based bTB eradication

The USPCA is calling on DAERA to adopt a humane and effective bTB eradication strategy that prioritises enhanced cattle testing, biosecurity, and badger and cattle vaccination.