Over 4,000 badgers successfully vaccinated in Wales
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“I am proud that Wales is leading the way on badger vaccination and that this remains the largest badger vaccination project ever undertaken in Great Britain."
Over 1,300 badgers have been successfully vaccinated against bovine TB this year, the deputy minister for farming and food has announced.
The announcement takes the total number of vaccinations in the Intensive Action Area (IAA) to over 4,000 in the three years since the Badger Vaccination Project began.
Forming part of the Welsh Government's comprehensive TB eradication programme, the vaccination project has received endorsement by the European Commission for the past five years for its approach which includes the use of annual TB testing of cattle, strict biosecurity measures and movement controls.
It is hoped that the project will develop a level of immunity against the disease in the badger population in the IAA.
Defra minister for farming and food, Rebecca Evans, said: "Bovine TB is one of the biggest challenges facing Wales’ farming industry, and I am pleased to announce that we have completed the badger vaccination field operations for the third year within the Intensive Action Area.
"Participation in this project is voluntary and I am grateful to farmers and landowners for their continued cooperation in giving us access to their land. The vaccination work is undertaken in cycles lasting approximately three weeks - the first two weeks involve liaising with the landowner and preparatory work, and vaccination taking place in the third week.
“I am proud that Wales is leading the way on badger vaccination and that this remains the largest badger vaccination project ever undertaken in Great Britain."
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