East Offaly Badger Removal Project

1989-1994

Area Project Buffer Control

Objectives Removal of as many badgers as

possible. Monitor the effect of this removal

on TB levels in cattle. Compare results with a control

area & national figures.

Preliminary Studies in E. Offaly

Year No. of badgers

TB pos. badgers

1984 5 1 (20.0%)

1985 96 17 (17.7%)

1986 77 21(27.3%)

1987 72 7 (9.7%)

1988 107 7 (6.5%)

Total 357 53 (14.8%)

Previous badger Removals. Ballycrissane, Co Galway, 1985 7 sq km area 54 badgers captured 15 (29%) gross TB lesions

Sett Survey Main Setts 234 Other Setts 418 50% of main setts in hedgerow 62% of other setts in hedgerow

Snaring PeriodsDate Active Setts Badgers Badgers/

sett

89 Jan-May Sept-Dec

456 (70)141 (22)

636201

1-131-3

90 Feb-June Sept-Dec

234 (36)108 (17)

20991

1-41-4

94 Feb-Apr May-Jun Sept-Nov Dec

57 (9)35 (5)35 (5)16 (2)

6323179

1-41-31-21-2

Badgers captured & TB pos

Year Project Buffer Total1989TB+

70086 (12)

13723 (17)

837109 (13)

1990TB+

19724 (12)

1033 (3)

30027 (9)

1991TB+

11713 (11)

748 (11)

19121(11)

1992TB+

1087 (6)

722 (3)

1809 (5)

1993TB+

628 (13)

512 (4)

11310 (9)

1994TB+

483 (6)

643 (4)

1126 (5)

TotalTB+

1232141 (11)

50141 (8)

1733182(10.5

Reactors Project AreaYear No. Animal

testsNo. Reactors A P T

1988 83,315 326 3.91

1989 103,032 362 3.51

1990 103,332 299 2.89

1991 72,202 194 2.69

1992 65,803 89 1.35

1993 67,087 54 0.80

1994 68,527 54 0.79

1995 65,348 30 0.46

Reactors Control areaYear No. Tests No.Reactors A P T

1988 268,632 910 3.39

1989 294,088 982 3.34

1990 286,425 904 3.16

1991 218,813 979 4.47

1992 234,888 594 2.53

1993 212,382 404 1.90

1994 210,389 443 2.11

1995 204,949 430 2.10

National Figures Year Cattle Tests Reactor

sA P T

1988 6.32 11.06 29,732 2.7

1989 6.70 12.44 43,385 3.5

1990 6.90 12.43 41,419 3.3

1991 6.84 8.21 36,832 4.4

1992 7.08 10.89 35,997 3.3

1993 7.04 10.45 30,359 2.9

1994 7.14 10.44 30,439 2.9

1995 7.17 10.11 33,180 3.2

Case control studyEves (2001) A case control study on the incidence of bovine TB in an area of extensive badger culling in Co Offaly, Ireland. M V M. thesis NUI.

107 herds in the Project area. This was the total herds in the area with a confirmed TB outbreak in the years 1986,87 & 88.

122 similar herds from the rest of Co Offaly in which intensive badger removal did not take place were selected at random.

Case control study (contd) Herd size Enterprise type Cows per herd Total reactors Reactor cows Reactor non-cows Positive contiguous herds Number of failed tests

Total Reactors (1990-1993) 74 reactors in 30 of the Project

Area herds. ( range 1 - 11) 287 reactors in 57 of the Control

Area herds. ( range 1- 34) Difference statistically significant

(P < 0.05)

Reactor non-cows 36 reactor non-cows in Project

Area. 209 reactor non-cows in Control

Area Difference significantly different

(P<0.05)

Positive Contiguous Herds Project Area; 0.97 per herd Control Area; 1.91 per herd Difference statistically significant

(P<0.01)

Number of failed tests Project Area; 1.26 Control Area; 2.03 Difference statistically significant

(P< 0.01)