Conclusions and recommendations
1. We welcome the news of progress, however limited,
in the development of a cattle vaccine. We strongly urge the Government
to move forwards to field trials of available vaccinations as
soon as possible. However, we concede that an effective cattle
vaccine is some way off, and that even after one is found the
problem of differentiating between vaccinated and previously infected
animals, with the associated trade issues, will remain. We therefore
acknowledge that in the medium or even long term cattle vaccination
is likely to form only part - albeit a significant part - of the
response to bovine TB. (Paragraph 20)
2. Spending more on research into cattle vaccines
now and in the future may well mean less overall expenditure on
bovine TB in the long run. We recommend that the Government reallocate
resources accordingly. (Paragraph 21)
3. We continue to support research which aims
to develop a workable test to differentiate between vaccinated
and previously infected animals. Such research must obviously
proceed hand-in-hand with research into a cattle vaccine. (Paragraph
22)
4. We recommend that the Government seek ways
to carry forward the work to test the effectiveness of the BCG
in badgers before the Randomised Badger Culling Trial is completed.
Although significant hurdles remain, not least devising a reliable
method of delivering a vaccine to a wild animal, we believe that
a badger vaccine might have an important role to play in managing
the disease - and it is clear that the development of a vaccine
for badgers is some way in advance of one for cattle. (Paragraph
24)
5. We recommend that Defra immediately commission
research into other wildlife reservoirs of bovine TB infection.
It should particularly look at the impact of vaccinating badgers
on infection in other species, and the role played by other species
in transmitting tuberculosis to cattle. (Paragraph 25)
6. We believe that the gamma interferon test
has the potential to be a highly effective diagnostic tool. We
recommend that Government provide financial incentives to farmers
to join the gamma interferon field trial. Its aim should be to
recruit 600 herds as soon as possible, and so to complete the
trial quickly. (Paragraph 30)
7. We recommend that the data gathered in the
TB99 survey, together with other information, is used to identify
good practice in animal husbandry, and that guidelines for farmers
are drawn up based on that good practice. We further recommend
that Defra communicate those guidelines clearly to farmers. (Paragraph
33)
8. Farmers should be aware that the Minister
takes the view that good animal husbandry has a significant role
to play in controlling bovine TB, and that he is considering using
a number of powerful levers to ensure that best practice is followed.
Notwithstanding their reservations about focussing on husbandry,
rather than badger culling, we recommend that farmers demonstrate
that they take their own responsibilities seriously by following
best practice guidelines in relation to husbandry. Given that
badger culling is unlikely to begin imminently, and that in any
event it is likely to form only part of the response to the disease,
it is vital that no stone is left unturned in dealing with bovine
TB. (Paragraph 35)
9. Although we do not believe that trace elements
should become a main focus of research activity, they are clearly
an area of interest. We therefore recommend that Defra consider
ways in which it might encourage projects aiming to find out more
about trace elements. (Paragraph 39)
10. We agree with the Government that once the
information gathered from the Irish Four Areas Study has been
published and properly peer reviewed it should be carefully examined
to see in what ways it might inform policy in this country. But
we echo the comments of the Godfray report: even if the Irish
Study suggests that proactive culling has a positive impact on
the incidence of bovine TB there are significant differences between
Ireland and the United Kingdom which may well mean that the conclusions
drawn about policy there differ from those drawn here. (Paragraph
42)
11. We recommend that the Government continue
to work with the Irish Government and other Governments to seek
solutions to our shared problem of bovine TB. (Paragraph
43)
12. We also support the Government's decision
now to develop a new strategy to deal with bovine TB - but we
are less impressed by the decision to consult about the matter.
Defra must surely know by now what its key stakeholders think
about this matter; and repeated consultations are very unlikely
to shift entrenched attitudes in any event. Now is the time for
decisions and actions. (Paragraph 46)
13. The political reality is that culling badgers
could only ever be a limited part of a policy to deal with the
problem of bovine TB. But in any event we do not believe that
any useful decision can be made about badger culling until the
results of the Irish Four Areas Study and more importantly the
Randomised Badger Culling Trial have been received and can be
properly assessed. We do not therefore recommend that a decision
to adopt culling as a policy response is taken prematurely. (Paragraph
47)
14. We urge all concerned to respond positively
to the challenges of bovine TB. We believe that the recommendations
in this report set out a number of steps through which the Government
and others can do so. (Paragraph 48)
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