A new study of grazing patterns and bovine tuberculosis (TB) outbreaks in NI has highlighted the risk of grazing cattle next to badger setts.

The research included a detailed survey of grazing records on 697 fields within a TB hotspot area in Co Down over a full grazing season.

“This study found a significant association between the amount of time cattle spent in fields with setts and historic TB status of the herd, adding further data to the risk of grazing cattle in fields with setts,” the research paper reads.

There were badger setts in 3% of the fields surveyed in the study and 64% of these fields were grazed by cattle during the season.

“If fields containing setts cannot be avoided for grazing cattle, these should be fenced off so cattle cannot encroach on them,” the researchers state.

Of the farms involved in the survey, 89% grazed cattle next to another herd

Scientists from the Agri Food and Biosciences Institute, Queen’s University Belfast and DAERA were involved in the research which was published in the scientific journal Research in Veterinary Science.

The study also looked at the potential for TB to spread between neighbouring herds through nose-to-nose contact of cattle over boundary fences.

Of the farms involved in the survey, 89% grazed cattle next to another herd, but with rotational grazing, silage cutting etc. this only accounted for 18% of the grazing season.

The study concluded that the TB status of farms during the past five years was “unrelated” to the time cattle spent grazing next to neighbouring herds.

Fields that contained latrines, which are sites used by badgers to deposit their droppings, were also surveyed. The study found no positive association between the time cattle spent grazing these fields and the TB status of the herd.