[Eryri]

ZeusS raises same very important questions, the most important being is the amount of money already been spent and the development of a vaccination for badgers.

There has been a number of pilot vaccination programmes of carrier species (the main one is badger in Britain). The oral vaccination program was a failure for a number of reasons, (a) the 'pool' population of badgers was found to be too high in relation to the number of badgers successfully vaccinated, (b) there are a number of different strains of M.Bovis and the vaccination target was found to be elusive, (c) successfully vaccinated badgers do not become immune, unlike a virus vaccine, the goal is to temporarily stimulate the immune system of the host carrier to 'shed' the bacteria more easily, but this has the effect of replacing the targeted strain with a strain which does not exhibit the same stimulus on the badgers immune system.

In both case of 'culling' and 'vaccination' there is a direct relationship between the density of the carrier population in relation to the density of the agricultural species (cattle) and the opportunities for transmission.

Since the previous pilot studies, work has been successful in developing a more sophisticated injectable vaccination. Defra (the government body in England) plan to do pilot studies of this injecatable vaccine in the summer of 2010. The areas selected for this study were specifically selected where existing carrier (badger) populations are low, and the corresponding agricultural species (dairy cattle) spend long periods indoors, allowing the cattle to be monitored and the propensity of transmission to be measured.

The issue with the decision in Wales to select Penfro/Ceredigion as a cull zone is that (a) bTB infection and transmission rates between species here is highest, (b) natural boundaries exist to minimise carrier migration such as mountains and the sea, (c) cattle population is almost wholly outdoor husbandry and an area where stricter movement controls can be implemented and (d) the superior results that the Department of Agriculture in Wales have achieved in bTB reactor testing on existing hurds.

I think the claim that most farmers and landowners in the Penfro/Ceredigion area are against the cull is nonsense. While there have been some arable farmers in South Pembrokeshire being quite vocal, allied with some vegetarian groups, the vast majority of farmers in the area are fully supportive of the cull. Far from being shocked to find their land to be included in the cull zone, they have been involved in the consultation exercise throughout the process. Whether the cull is right or wrong, that's another matter. It will definitely reduce the transmission on bTB to cattle in that area, as we know that vaccination is never 100% effective, but we do know that 100% of dead badges don't cross-contaminate. A reduction in badger population density will reduce cross contaminiation as long as any cross contamination in cattle is prevented and migration of badger is prevented.

There are other culls taking place in Wales, most as a method of protecting endangered species, or assisting the development of a more natural and sustainable environment. The badger, however, looks cuddly and cute, and easily used as a platform of people to campaign on who may well have a diverse agenda.