WHEN did the first Bovine TB eradication scheme come in to operation? In 1954, the department says, in answer to a query. A long time. And how stands the eradication campaign? Well, a lot of the argument seems to have moved from the cattle themselves and their owners, to the badger, as one of the serious sources of infection. In fact, a Government publication, The Badger and Habitat Survey of Ireland, has recently been published and is on sale, or was, from the Government Publications sale office at £30. A summary report costs £3.
In the Farmers' Journal for March 9th, Des Maguire examines the report and it seems there is no clear cut decision on the culpability of the badger as a main source of the trouble. The headline concerns the fact that most badgers live near cattle pasture. In Britain they mostly inhabit wood lands. And not just any pasture. They don't concern themselves with sheep pasture much, it seems, or what is called unimproved grass land, but mostly with "improved" pasture, or well fertilised. Most sheep pasture is on higher ground. Nor do badgers favour moorland or bogland.
Maguire tells us that the Wild life Service is not as convinced as the Department of Agriculture and the TB investigation unit that the role of the badger is spreading TB to cattle is as extensive as is generally believed by farmers and vets. The report reads: "It is now generally accepted by researchers from all spectra of the scientific disciplines involved in the investigation of the disease that badgers are involved to some extent at least, in the transmission of TB to cattle . . . However the principal mode of transmission of the disease to cattle remains unclear, as does the overall contribution of the badger to the bovine tuberculosis problem in Ireland and Britain.
"Badgers have bovine TB to between 11 per cent and 18 per cent." Then this: "The vaccination approach, whether for badgers or (preferably) for cattle, seems to be one of the best practical options, once suitable vaccines have been confirmed and tested."
This began in 1954, remember. It couldn't be that people are most to blame?