Why no use of vaccine to combat TB in badgers?

I am given to understand that it is in Central Africa and South America, so why not in this country? And has the actual treatment of infected cattle been tried?

Imagine the howls of revulsion if it was suggested that we didn't treat humans with TB. It worries me that when every single badger has been exterminated, as some people seem to think is the only answer, and cattle still contract the disease, another member of the animal kingdom would be singled out as next in line for extermination. And where does this process stop?

Defra said in response to this letter: "Cattle vaccines are currently prohibited under EU legislation. The only vaccine candidate for use in cattle is BCG, the vaccine used in humans, which interferes with the current tuberculin skin test. Vaccinated cattle would, therefore, appear infected and herds could not be declared Officially TB Free (OTF) for trading purposes. Therefore, as part of the UK research programme we have been developing and validating a diagnostic test to differentiate between infected and vaccinated animals – a so-called 'DIVA test'. Changes will be required to the EU legislation to allow this test to be used in place of, or alongside, the tuberculin skin test to confer OTF status."

The huge badger cull in Wales is postponed to the end of this month, pending the outcome of an appeal by the Badger Trust against the decision of a judicial review.

From: David Craggs, Sand-Le-Mere, Tunstall, East Yorkshire.

From: Tony Stothard, Beckingham, Doncaster.

Further to the letters regarding birds not using nest boxes, (Country Week May 22 and June 12), I checked our nest box and found a small oddly shaped structure attached to the lid of it.

It turned out to be the nest of a tree wasp. No wonder the birds kept out.

CW 19/6/10