More badgers in Cheshire can now be vaccinated against TB, meaning fewer may need to be culled. 

The Northwich-based Cheshire Badger Vaccination Programme (CBVP) can now offer its services to farmers across the county, thanks to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA's) new simplified licence scheme.

Badger vaccination programmes are a new alternative to culling, which is legal in parts of Cheshire and occurs annually, beginning in September.  

CBVP leader, Elaine Alexander, said: “Not all farmers and landowners realise that vaccination is an alternative to culling, and farmers in a cull zone are not obliged to join in the cull.”

The CBVP relies on volunteers to help trap badgers and vaccinate them against mycobacterium bovis, the bacteria which causes tuberculosis in cattle.

Under the old scheme, newly qualified vaccinators needed to apply for an individual licence, which meant supplying extensive information to DEFRA then waiting up to 30 working days for a decision.

The new system requires applicants to register as an ‘authorised person,’ which mean applications can be turned around much faster.

The new scheme is aimed at encouraging more volunteers to become involved in vaccinating badgers against TB.

It will also make it easier for farmers to trap and vaccinate badgers on their own land.

According to figures published by the CBVP, vaccinating badgers is a more cost-effective approach to managing TB in cattle than culling.

Vaccinating a badger costs around £80, while culling can cost up to £1,000.

Bovine TB transmission happens mostly from cattle to cattle, but wild badgers are seen as a potential reservoir for the bacteria, making it more difficult to eradicate.

DEFRA’s Biosecurity minister, Lord Benyon, said: "The widespread vaccination of badgers is a key cornerstone of our strategy to eradicate TB by 2038, with our new and simplified licence allowing more farmers and vaccination groups to join the fight against this insidious disease.

"Bovine TB is one of the most difficult and intractable animal health challenges that the UK faces today, causing considerable trauma for farmers and costing taxpayers over £100 million every year."