Policy paper

Summary of 2023 badger control operations

Updated 1 May 2024

Applies to England

Natural England Chief Scientist’s advice on the outcome of badger control operations, 2023

Effectiveness of industry-led culling

In 2023, alongside the Chief Veterinary Officer (CVO), I have continued to provide oversight and advice on the effectiveness, safety and humaneness of the operations for existing intensive cull areas (Areas 44 to 72).  Our advice for areas which undertook licensed supplementary badger control in 2023, will be released separately. The outcome of this year’s operations indicates that industry-led licensed badger control continues to deliver the level of effectiveness required by the policy to be confident of achieving disease control benefits: 

There were no new licensed areas in 2023.

• 24 of the 28 areas in their 2nd to 4th years (Areas 44 to 72 – Area 54 Lincolnshire excluded) applied an appropriate level of targeted effort to maintain the population at a reduced level

• Area 44- Avon, Area 48- Leicestershire, Area 49- Oxfordshire and Area 56- Hampshire did not meet the recommended Effort target, nevertheless they deployed sufficient coverage and met their minimum number so were declared to have completed a successful cull

• 5 areas had an extension of their licence boundary that were required to deploy a Year 1 level of effort on their extension land.  Area 62- Buckinghamshire, Area 65- Derbyshire, Area 66- Devon, Area 68- Northamptonshire and Area 69- Oxfordshire deployed the additional required effort in the extension areas and also met both effort and coverage targets when looking at the areas as a whole

• As in previous years, minimum and maximum numbers were updated once badger control operations were underway.  This allows initial estimates of badger abundance to be refined by actual circumstances observed in the field. These numbers have been outlined within Annex A1 – Updating minimum and maximum numbers during 2023 badger control operations

• 23 areas continued beyond 42 days to maximise disease control benefits where factors such as late maize harvest and poor weather conditions hampered coverage on some parcels of land.  In these continuation periods the number of badgers to be removed was increased

• 2 areas (Area 45- Derbyshire and Area 47- Herefordshire) finished marginally below their uplifted minimum numbers, however they achieved the required level of effort and coverage and so delivered an effective cull

• Area 63- Cornwall and Area 70- Somerset finished just below their minimum number and coverage target respectively, but this was very marginal and considered satisfactory

Safety of operations

Operations across all areas were carried out to agreed standards of public safety.  This is a reflection of the continued importance of refresher training for contactors each year by companies and continued co-operation with police.  

Humaneness of controlled shooting

Contractors showed high levels of discipline and compliance with the best practice guide (see Annex B).  With no new control areas this year existing contractors were monitored and continue to comply with required standards.

Dr Tim Hill
Chief Scientist, Natural England

UK Chief Veterinary Officer’s advice and conclusions on disease control benefits

In 2023, I continued to provide oversight and advice on disease control and humaneness of the operations for existing intensive cull areas (Areas 44 to 72). My advice for Areas 3 to 10, 22 to 31 and 33 to 43, who undertook licensed supplementary badger control, will be released separately.

Natural England’s Chief Scientist and I have concluded that all areas delivered sufficient levels of coverage and effort required to be confident of achieving disease control benefits. For reassurance, we have requested that a small number of areas undergo additional ‘Operational Readiness Assessments’ to ensure continued effectiveness.

Areas 44 to 53 concluded their fourth year of culling operations and will be eligible to apply for a 2-year supplementary badger control licence in 2024. For the remaining intensive cull areas to maximise disease control benefits they should continue culling for the remainder of their licensed period to maintain the level of reduction in the badger population. I anticipate that intensive culls, if they continue to be effective, will continue to see similar benefits of reduced disease incidence in cattle over their licence periods, as shown in Downs et al. (2019) and Birch et al. (2024).

Based on the monitoring activity provided by Natural England, my view remains that the likelihood of suffering in badgers culled by controlled shooting is broadly within the range of those reported for hunting or killing of other terrestrial mammals.

I continued to be responsible for monitoring the operations in the Low Risk Area of England (LRA) badger control areas, found within TB hotspots. This is in line with the aim of badger control in the LRA being eradication of disease.

In Area 54- Lincolnshire, based on the results of surveillance carried out in 2022, I recommended that culling should continue for a fourth year with a small extension to manage the risk that disease had moved within the badger population. In 2023, Area 54 applied an appropriate level of targeted effort and sett coverage across the licensed area and so are considered to have achieved a successful fourth year of culling.

Badger carcases removed from Area 54 underwent post-mortem examination (PME) and sampling for culture to isolate M. bovis. These results are published today and, alongside cattle surveillance and whole genome sequencing, will be assessed to inform the type of badger disease control carried out in subsequent years in this area.

Christine Middlemiss
UK Chief Veterinary Officer

Background

On 7 September 2023, Defra announced that as part of the Government’s 25-year strategy to eradicate bovine tuberculosis and protect the livelihoods of dairy and beef farmers, Natural England had licensed and authorised badger disease control operations across 29 areas in:

• Avon
• Berkshire
• Buckinghamshire
• Cornwall
• Derbyshire
• Devon
• Gloucestershire
• Hampshire
• Herefordshire
• Leicestershire
• Lincolnshire
• Northamptonshire
• Oxfordshire
• Shropshire
• Somerset
• Staffordshire
• Warwickshire
• Wiltshire
• Worcestershire

Badger control operations, lasting at least 6 weeks, took place in each area between 29 August and 31 October 2023. This document sets out the outcomes from those areas.

Effectiveness

Estimates of the badger population in each control area were supplied by Defra for the purpose of giving advice to Natural England on setting the minimum and maximum number of badgers to be removed in the licences. The estimates, methodologies and rationale used were published in September 2023.

As in previous years, Natural England monitored the progress in each control area closely. The levels of contractor shooting effort, number of cage-traps set and number of badgers removed were recorded on a daily basis in all accessible land parcels. This provided Natural England with regular information on the numbers of badgers removed, the amount of effort deployed by each control company and its spatial distribution. This enabled a detailed assessment of the progress that each control company was making towards achieving their minimum and maximum numbers (where appropriate) and allowed Natural England to assess whether resources were being effectively deployed across all accessible land.

Updating minimum and maximum numbers

As set out in Section D of Defra’s advice to Natural England, numbers were reviewed as operations progressed to assess whether the badger population in each control area was higher or lower than the initial estimate suggested. Based on an assessment of the data on Day 28 in 27 control areas, Defra advised Natural England to adjust the minimum and maximum numbers upwards in 11 control areas and downwards in the other 16 control areas to better reflect the evidence of badger abundance. Details of the calculations can be found in Annex A1.

Area 54 – Lincolnshire did not receive minimum and maximum numbers as these are of less utility in the Low Risk Area given the aim of preventing disease spreading within wildlife and aiding eradication of disease. Area 70 – Somerset’s minimum and maximum numbers at Day 28 were not updated due to a data lag and were uplifted for their continuation beyond 42 days.

Progress towards minimum and maximum numbers

In 2023, 25 control areas achieved their minimum number and did not exceed their maximum number. Area 45- Derbyshire and Area 47 - Herefordshire achieved their updated Day 42 minimum number by day 45 and 38 respectively (see Annex A1), however it was agreed that the areas could continue beyond 42 days. This was to ensure coverage of parcels of land that were yet to be accessed in order to maximise disease control benefits. Like other areas that continued beyond 42 days, the areas consequently received an additional increase of 1.5% per additional operational day and ceased below this uplifted number however they deployed the required level of effort and coverage, see Table 1. Additionally, Area 63- Cornwall did not request to continue beyond 42 days and ceased marginally below their minimum number however they also deployed the required level of effort and coverage, see Table 1.

Table 1: Number of badgers removed by Areas 44 to 72 during 2023 badger control operations.

Area	Updated minimum number	Updated maximum number	Badgers removed	Removed by controlled shooting	Removed by cage-trapping
Area 44 - Avon	214	290	290	288	2
Area 45 - Derbyshire*	864	1172	833	804	29
Area 46 - Gloucestershire*	113	154	130	126	4
Area 47 - Herefordshire*	558	756	521	473	48
Area 48 - Leicestershire	188	255	213	206	7
Area 49 - Oxfordshire	260	353	277	243	34
Area 50 - Shropshire*	1133	1537	1232	1100	132
Area 51 - Somerset*	548	744	728	685	43
Area 52 - Warwickshire*	626	850	643	617	26
Area 53 - Wiltshire	100	136	105	84	21
Area 54 - Lincolnshire	N/A	N/A	89	88	1
Area 55 - Shropshire*	83	113	86	82	4
Area 56- Hampshire	134	182	156	139	17
Area 57 - Berkshire	20	27	27	25	2
Area 58 - Staffordshire*	190	259	214	207	7
Area 59 - Worcestershire*	166	226	191	187	4
Area 60 - Shropshire*	557	756	652	602	50
Area 61 - Oxfordshire	268	364	311	274	37
Area 62 - Buckinghamshire*	624	847	705	628	77
Area 63 - Cornwall	384	521	383	330	53
Area 64 - Cornwall*	164	222	182	140	42
Area 65 - Derbyshire*	639	868	761	712	49
Area 66 - Devon*	71	96	93	72	21
Area 67 - Hampshire*	201	273	210	184	26
Area 68 - Northamptonshire*	739	1002	828	748	80
Area 69 - Oxfordshire*	234	318	271	263	8
Area 70 - Somerset*	60	158	76	61	15
Area 71 - Warwickshire*	317	431	364	348	16
Area 72 - Warwickshire*	682	926	779	743	36

*Minimum and maximum numbers for areas include an additional increase of 1.5% per operational day given continuation in those areas beyond 43 days, see Annex A1.

More data on these areas can be found in Annex A2. Natural England will use the data on effort levels and numbers of badgers removed to inform its requirements for future badger control operations.

Accuracy of controlled shooting

Shooting accuracy was used as a proxy measure for ‘humaneness’ and was assessed using observations from Natural England Monitors of badgers being shot at under controlled shooting conditions.

Summary of controlled shooting observations

Monitors observed 56 badgers being shot at using controlled shooting, of which 4 were categorised as missed and not retrieved. In such cases, the use of firearms carries an element of risk with regard to the wounding of individual animals. While the contractor has control over the condition of the firearm, ammunition used, zeroing of the rifle and shooting technique, once the trigger is released, external parameters outside of the contractor’s control come into play.  A missed shot can result for a number of reasons, with movement of the target species simultaneously with trigger release being the most common.

The non-retrieval rate observed in 2023 of 7.1% (95% confidence interval 2.0%–16.0%^{[footnote 1]} was higher than 2021 and 2022 however lower than that of the previous eight years.

More details on compliance monitoring conducted during badger control operations can be found in Annex B.

Safety of operations

Operations in all 29 control areas were carried out to a high standard of public safety. All existing badger control companies’ contractors continued to receive training prior to the commencement of operations in 2023, on the requirements of the published best practice guides, lessons learned and safety training.

In relation to the use of firearms in all 29 control areas, no significant incidents affecting public safety were reported. Contractors continued to show high levels of discipline and adherence to the Best Practice Guides, see Annex B.

Conclusions

The results from 2023 indicate that all 29 badger control companies have delivered the level of badger removal required to be confident of disease control benefits and that the operations were carried out to a high standard of public safety.

The levels of controlled shooting accuracy achieved in this year’s operations were similar to those in the previous 10 years. The likelihood of suffering in badgers is comparable with the range of outcomes reported when other control activities, currently accepted by society, have been assessed. Licensed control companies will need to continue to ensure that their contractors receive rigorous training to maintain high standards of effectiveness, humaneness and safety.

1. Estimates of confidence intervals for proportions were produced using a “Modified Jeffries interval” (Brown and others, 2001). ↩