Bovine TB: Research project summary
Project SE3108: A field study to reveal the effects of perturbation, and to model the epidemiology of TB in disturbed badger populations
Project duration: 5 years
The aim of this project was to undertake a field study to investigate the relationship between perturbation of badger socio-spatial behaviour by culling and the risk of TB disease transmission. A separate aim was to integrate modelling approaches to understand better disease transmission and to assess the effectiveness of different control strategies. The study sites analysed were the established North Nibley, Gloucestershire site and new study sites within the reactive and control areas of the RBCT triplet E. The results indicated that following Badger Removal Operations there is significant badger social disruption, as indicated by an overall increase in overlap between social group territories from setts where badgers were removed and in their neighbouring setts and an increase in the movement of individual animals from neighbouring groups. Demographic effects were also apparent, particularly in the female population which showed signs of an increase in the proportion that were reproductively active. Bovine tuberculosis prevalence increased in both populations, particularly post-culling in setts neighbouring removals. The field results showed evidence of social perturbation which when simulated in the model increased the number of new bTB cases. Overall, this study showed that badger ecology and behavioural differences should be carefully evaluated when determining future bTB control policies.
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Page last modified:
July 7, 2008