The vaccinating of badgers against TB has been declared “no less effective than culling” by Department of Agriculture officials.

In briefing notes for seen by this newspaper, officials insist that “the culling of badgers is not sustainable in the long-term due to its ultimate impact on badger ecology and Ireland’s commitments under the Berne convention”.

Currently, up to 6,000 badgers are killed every year but the Department hopes to reduce this to 1,000 over the coming years and substitute culling with vaccination.

Control

It says it can do this, “while still maintaining effective control of the risk posed to cattle”.

By late 2019, vaccination was extended to 18,000km2, with plans for further increases.

Levels of TB in cattle have continued to rise and the latest figures show that herd incidence stood at 3.97% and over 19,000 reactors.

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