Northern Ireland’s agriculture minister has launched a 12-week public consultation seeking input on approaches to control bovine tuberculosis in cattle. The consultation, which began in early July, examines several wildlife intervention strategies aimed at reducing the disease’s spread through the badger population, including selective and non-selective culling options as well as vaccination approaches.
The financial burden of bovine TB in Northern Ireland remains substantial, with costs expected to exceed £70 million this year. Compensation payments to farmers whose cattle test positive represent the largest expense at over £54 million annually. Testing for the disease has been mandatory in the region since a program began in the 1950s, though costs have risen significantly due to increasing animal values. The current infection rate stands near 10 percent of the national herd, though this represents a recent improvement.
Farmers interviewed described the emotional toll alongside financial impacts. Breeders expressed concern about losing pedigree bloodlines and family genetic lines developed over generations. Some farmers also questioned the effectiveness of current testing methods and suggested that updated protocols could help prevent unnecessary animal removals. Others noted that uncertainty around testing creates operational challenges, with farm activity and sales decisions dependent on test results.
The consultation presents three wildlife intervention options: non-selective culling of free-roaming badgers by trained marksmen, a test-and-vaccinate-or-remove approach where healthy badgers are vaccinated and released while infected ones are euthanized, and vaccination-only strategies. These options reflect approaches previously used in England and the Republic of Ireland, though England has largely moved toward vaccination strategies.
The consultation period runs until 25 September. Agriculture Minister Andrew Muir stated that wildlife intervention represents a complex and sensitive issue with differing viewpoints, and emphasized that no preferred option has been designated in the consultation materials.
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