From Fridge to Field Deploying Badger Vaccination at the business scale Gordon McGlone and Associates Ltd The views expressed in this presentation are personal and do not represent those of any specific organisation unless referenced Gordon McGlone

Gloucestershire Wildlife Trust Why did I begin planning a badgers vaccination programme on Gloucestershire WT nature reserves in 2010? – Find out how to use badger bTB vaccination action above apathy – Evaluate practical experience pros and cons – Measure costs Outside of BVDP area time and money – Disseminate results Trust had been member of Ministerial advisory panels – Make a contribution to controlling bovine TB in cattle Three bTB breakdowns Gordon McGlone and Associates Ltd

The Wildlife Trusts major land managers “The Wildlife Trusts are major landowners and managers with 2,300 nature reserves across the UK covering an area of 90,000 hectares. In addition, they own and manage 20 working farms and more than 7,500 grazing animals, including cattle.” Gordon McGlone and Associates Ltd

Draft Strategy for Achieving “Officially Bovine Tuberculosis-Free” Status for England Extract from foreword:- …. Success will be dependent upon a number of interdependent, increasingly farmer-led activities: the effective application of disease control measures in cattle, securing best practice in livestock farming, addressing the reservoir of disease in wildlife whilst maintaining biodiversity, and ensuring that costs are spread fairly between the general taxpayer, the food and farming industry and other stakeholders…. Gordon McGlone and Associates Ltd

Rationale – which GWT nature reserves?  grassland – on or adjoining  badgers – on or adjoining  bTB history on site or in neighbourhood Suitable NRs surveyed – 26 with recent badger records Two groups of nature reserves were selected:- A - Stroud Valleys; Daneway Banks, Swifts Hill/Slad Farm, Frith Wood, Siccardige Wood, Snows Farm and Strawberry Banks B - Greystones Farm Gordon McGlone and Associates Ltd

Grazing maintains Grasslands Gordon McGlone and Associates Ltd

Daneway Banks SSSI site of Large Blue butterfly reintroduction Gordon McGlone and Associates Ltd Copyright Butterfly Conservation

Stroud valleys nature reserves hilly, difficult access, high manual effort Gordon McGlone and Associates Ltd

Greystones Farm nature reserve SSSI & SAM 6000 years of farming history Gordon McGlone and Associates Ltd

Getting started with badger vaccination Pre-plan from 2010 – Equipment and supplies, locate and / or commission Cage traps Holding cage PPE Power washer Portable fridge Data logger Peli case wickets – Dialogue with local Vet – professional support for ordering and stock management of BadgerBCG vaccine – Carry out site surveys – Train staff – Licences 2011 and 2012 – Obtain Certificate of Competence Gordon McGlone and Associates Ltd

How did it go? Full analysis by GWT finance department Gloucestershire Wildlife Trust – badgers Stroud Valleys 6 sites – £56 per hectare – Difficult terrain; manual transportation of cages, small sites, 104 hectares Greystones Farm - £41 per hectare – Working farm; vehicle access, 66 hectares – badgers Additional private farmland, exceptional rainfall and associated extra time cost on Stroud Valleys sites – 2013 – 44 badgers Dry summer, extra sett on private farmland, normal site access as per 2011 Gordon McGlone and Associates Ltd

Simon Boulter – Director of Badger Trust Principal Consultant with RSK, Chairman Oxfordshire Badger Group Partnership deployment County /10/13 Worcs / Warks border 10- Devon4- Cornwall0- Buckinghamshire0410 Derbyshire50- Oxfordshire-66 Shropshire-4tbc Somerset-62 – 440 hatbc Warwickshire-52 TOTAL brocks to date } 31

Wildlife Trusts current Badger Vaccination status Currently / have been vaccinating Preparing to vaccinate Supportive CheshireStaffordshireNottinghamshire GloucestershireDorsetDebating or in partnerships eg BBOWT and Badger Trust ShropshireHampshire WarwickshireSomerset Leicestershire and Rutland Derbyshire Devon S&W Wales Gordon McGlone and Associates Ltd

Wildlife Trusts 2013 Badger Vaccination activity 26/09/13 Currently / have been vaccinating Badgers vaccinated Land in Hectares Cheshire53 on nature reserves 19 private land Gloucestershire37 on NRs 7 on private land 200 Shropshire220 Warwickshire7105 Leicestershire and Rutland TOTALS148 to date 1426 Gordon McGlone and Associates Ltd

How do you deliver Badger Vaccination cost effectively? Staff Contractors Volunteers Gordon McGlone and Associates Ltd Develop Skills

Shropshire WT experience Shadow an experienced vaccinator to build your skills base. Try to vaccinate whole social groups so survey as much ground as you can to get an idea of social territories. Gordon McGlone and Associates Ltd

Cheshire and Shropshire WTs Vaccinating on 2 nature reserves and working in partnership on private farms to total more than 1,000 ha 50% support from the badger vaccine fund for a new 23km 2 area in south Cheshire. Brock vaccination will do the vaccination. – Working with AHVLA vets and speaking to local farm animal vet practises – “they can promote vaccination for you to clients and open the door for discussions (trusted by farmers)” – AHVLA sent letters out to all the landholders to let them know what we were planning and also when we got the grant Gordon McGlone and Associates Ltd

Managing Costs “Talk to local badger groups - they can provide an army of volunteers to reduce labour costs for farmers.” Gordon McGlone and Associates Ltd

“This is the cycle we use incorporating our staff with local volunteers” Contractor Brock Vaccination lead B - Check accuracy and estimate costs C – License application to NE E – Cage traps located on setts etc F – Traps pre-baited G – Cages set H – Badgers vaccinated J – Clean cages and store K – Next customer Client Wildlife Trust support A – Survey setts and badger activity D – staff and vols pre-bait holes and monitor uptake – support trap locating – support trap pre-baiting – support badger vaccination I – Pick up cages Gordon McGlone and Associates Ltd

The big question – how much does badger vaccination cost? Gloucestershire Wildlife Trust – Stroud valleys £55 per hectare, smaller sites – Greystones Farm £41 per hectare – Working figure of £45 per hectare Brock Vaccination - £44 per hectare FERA/AHVLA – £2000 to £4000 per km 2 Costs could be lowered significantly with more co-ordinated delivery programmes across larger areas Gordon McGlone and Associates Ltd

Badger Vaccination - a contribution to controlling bTB in cattle 1.The problem is bTB in cattle 2.Vaccinating badgers can make a real contribution to reducing levels of infection 3.But like Baldric badger vaccination is undervalued there is no cunning plan for badger vaccination in England Gordon McGlone and Associates Ltd So what is wrong with my cunning PLAN?

Draft Strategy for Achieving “Officially Bovine Tuberculosis-Free” Status for England Opening line of foreword “Bovine tuberculosis (bTB) is the most pressing animal health problem in the UK… 4 July 2013 The Rt Hon Owen Paterson MP Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Gordon McGlone and Associates Ltd

“ … this response is supported by the following 10 organisations: Badger Trust - Bat Conservation Trust - Buglife - The Invertebrate Conservation Trust - Friends of the Earth England - Humane Society International/UK - International Fund for Animal Welfare - The Mammal Society - Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals - The Wildlife Trusts Woodland Trust Gordon McGlone and Associates Ltd TOTAL VOLUNTARY MEMBERSHIP well over

Question 11 and 12: Do you agree with the objectives and proposed package of measures for each draft sub- strategy? “It seems likely, therefore, that the potential benefits of vaccination have been underestimated, and that, in spite of the practical challenges and cost implications, the development of a comprehensive strategy for badger vaccination through the formation of appropriate partnerships between government, farmers/landowners, wildlife organisations and civil society groups should be prioritised, particularly in High Risk and Edge areas. Vaccination has the potential to be more cost effective than culling, particularly with the high cost of policing night-time shoots” Gordon McGlone and Associates Ltd

Question 11 and 12: Do you agree with the objectives and proposed package of measures for each draft sub- strategy? “It seems likely, therefore, that the potential benefits of vaccination have been underestimated, and that, in spite of the practical challenges and cost implications, the development of a comprehensive strategy for badger vaccination through the formation of appropriate partnerships between government, farmers/landowners, wildlife organisations and civil society groups should be prioritised, particularly in High Risk and Edge areas. Vaccination has the potential to be more cost effective than culling, particularly with the high cost of policing night-time shoots” Gordon McGlone and Associates Ltd

Conclusions How could badger vaccination be more usable - at the business scale 1.Commitment 2.Planning 3.Delivery 4.Revue Gordon McGlone and Associates Ltd

Conclusions How could badger vaccination be more usable - at the business scale? Commitment 1.Clear leadership from DEFRA; A vaccine fund that is friendlier & attractive to landowners over a 5 year delivery period (One year is little incentive and a 2012 Gloucs claim has still not been paid) 2.Positive endorsement of badger vaccination tool right from the top by leaders in key organisations such as DEFRA, BVA, NFU etc; Vets and farmers working as badger vaccination ambassadors – Cymorth TB 3.Wildlife conservation and animal welfare stakeholders continue to make the running Gordon McGlone and Associates Ltd

Conclusions How could badger vaccination be more usable - at the business scale? Planning 1.A badger vaccination deployment plan for England within the bTB Strategy – locations for strategic vaccine deployment and full engagement of all stakeholders including civil society delivery partners – BT, TWT, Team Badger and other partners 2.Greater inclusion of vets from AHVLA and local farm animal vet practises – they have expert local knowledge 3.Improved awareness and practical experience within Natural England – better understanding of the business end of badger vaccine deployment Gordon McGlone and Associates Ltd

Conclusions How could badger vaccination be more usable - at the business scale? Delivery 1.One agency and one annual return could give simpler paperwork, collated data and better guidance to landowners 2.Speed up the Licensing process – weeks of delay do not fit well with commercial practice 3.Develop local group working - facilitates speed, lowers costs and fits better with fine tuning of local strategies – no lead body at the moment 4.Support expert staff to support learners and volunteers – Knowledge Transfer would be a cost driver 5.Share capital equipment and experience (cages, fridge, data logger etc.) GWT £3000 >> Dorset WT Gordon McGlone and Associates Ltd

Conclusions How could badger vaccination be more usable - at the business scale? Reviewing 1.Better information flow from and between TB eradication boards, AHWBE, TBEAG, DEFRA, NE, AHVLA, NFU, wildlife and welfare organisations ….. 2.Accept that Badger Vaccination is available now and deliverable – stop prevaricating and waiting for a badger oral vaccine – BadgerBCG is available now 3.Hold an annual seminar to ensure that learning and progress in shared; ZSL has set a benchmark Gordon McGlone and Associates Ltd

With thanks to … Charlotte Owen Lucy Hartley Helen Trotman Pete Bradshaw & John Field Lucy Borde Simon Boulter Gavin Wilson The Wildlife Trusts Wildlife and Countryside Link Shropshire Wildlife Trust Gloucestershire Wildlife Trust Brock Vaccination Badger Trust AHVLA Gordon McGlone and Associates Ltd

From Fridge to Field Deploying Badger Vaccination at the business scale Dr Gordon McGlone CEnv MCIEEM Gordon McGlone and Associates Ltd