The Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA) announced that the fifth and final year of the test and vaccinate or remove (TVR) wildlife intervention research project commenced on Monday in a 100km² area around Banbridge, Co Down.

The final year of the wildlife intervention project covers an area of 100km squared. The project, which began in 2014, aims to investigate the benefit of implementing a TVR approach on badgers in areas with high incidence of TB.

The badgers are microchipped and vaccinated and any that test positive are subsequently removed. Letters have been sent to all landowners affected by the research project. The project has been capturing badgers between July and November annually for the last four years. The department thanked the landowners for continued permission to access the land to carry out the research. The department hopes the information will help lead to the eradication of bovine TB in Northern Ireland.

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Final year of TB TVR project under way in Down

TB has significant costs to farmers, with restriction on movements and loss of stock.