Fifth year of Test and Vaccinate or Remove (TVR) project gets under way

The Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA) today announced that the fifth and final year of the Test and Vaccinate or Remove (TVR) Wildlife Intervention Research Project commenced today in a 100km² area around Banbridge, Co Down.

The research project, which began in 2014, aims to monitor the effects of implementing a TVR approach on badgers in an area of high cattle TB prevalence. It will supplement the department’s knowledge base and provide new information on badgers and specifically TB in badgers.

This year, similar to the last three years of the study, the project will involve the capture of badgers, sampling, micro-chipping and vaccinating them against bovine TB with the removal of any badgers testing positive for bovine TB.

Land owners in the TVR area have been sent letters to inform them of the commencement of field activities. The department would like to thank landowners for their continued access to their land and support for this important research project.

The Year 4 Report for the research project has been published on the department’s website.

Notes to editors: 

1. The Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA)’s long term aim is to eradicate bovine TB in cattle in the Northern Ireland. This disease is a significant cost to farmers due to movement restrictions, loss of productivity and follow up herd testing, and to the Department in terms of compensation payments and animal testing.
2. The TVR intervention research project commenced in 2014. This is the fifth and final year of the project. The project requires the capture of badgers between July and November annually. In 2014, all captured badgers were sampled, microchipped and vaccinated against bovine TB. All badgers were released. From the second year of the project to its conclusion all TB test positive badgers will be removed from the TVR area.
3. The aim of the TVR research project is to describe the effects of implementing a TVR approach on badgers in an area of high cattle TB prevalence. It will greatly add to the Department’s knowledge base and provide currently unknown information on badgers and specifically TB in badgers.
4. Farmers and land owners in the TVR area who did not take part in the last couple of years, and wish to take part this year, should contact Newry DVO, Glenree House, Unit 2, Springhill Road, Carnbane Industrial Estate, Carnbane, Newry, BT35 6EF – telephone  0300 200 7840.
5. Please see reports for years 1 – 4 of the project.
6. The department may take photographs and videos at announcements and events to publicise its work. Photographs, interviews, videos or other recordings may be issued to media organisations for publicity purposes or used in promotional material, including in publications, newspapers, magazines, other print media, on television, radio and electronic media (including social media and the internet). Photographs and videos will also be stored on the department’s internal records management system. The department will keep the photographs and recordings for no longer than is necessary for the purposes for which they have been obtained. The department’s Privacy Policy is available on our website.
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8. All media enquiries to DAERA Press Office: pressoffice.group@daera-ni.gov.uk or telephone: 028 9052 4619. Out of office hours, please contact the Duty Press Officer via pager number 07623 974 383 and your call will be returned.

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