Badger Trust Urges Wales to Keep Non‑Lethal TB Strategy After 13.6% Case Drop

TL;DR: Bovine TB cases fell 13.6% in Wales by end‑2025 without wildlife culling; Badger Trust urges the next Welsh Government to maintain a non‑lethal, cattle‑centric policy.

Wales has recorded its sharpest decline in bovine tuberculosis (TB) in recent years, cutting cases by 13.6% by the close of 2025. The reduction occurred without any culling of wildlife, contrasting with a 5% drop in England over the same period. The Badger Trust, the leading UK charity for badger protection, is pressing the incoming Welsh administration to preserve the current non‑lethal strategy.

Key figures show progress on the cattle side. At year‑end, 5.3% of Welsh cattle herds remained not officially TB‑free, a 0.4‑percentage‑point improvement from 2024. The year also saw 567 new herd incidents and a 27% fall in early cattle slaughter, indicating fewer emergency killings.

Badger Trust argues that culling cattle after a failed TB test is outdated. “The premature culling of cattle due to a failed bovine TB test is unnecessary,” the charity said, recommending strict segregation of suspect animals instead. It stresses that DNA testing attributes 94‑95% of TB transmission to direct cattle‑to‑cattle spread, not wildlife.

The charity’s policy blueprint centers on three pillars: more frequent and enhanced cattle testing, tighter farm biosecurity, and non‑slaughter options for positive cases. It warns that TB can linger in cattle and the environment, and that contaminated vehicles, workwear, manure and slurry can act as vectors if farms neglect hygiene measures.

Badger Trust also cautions against shifting focus to badger vaccination, labeling it a distraction from the primary source of infection. While welcoming the end of intensive badger‑culling licences in England in 2026, the group maintains that improved testing and farm practices offer a more humane and effective route.

The organization calls on the next Welsh Government to “hold its nerve” and continue leading by example with a science‑led, evidence‑based approach. It also flags upcoming threats to badger setts from the Planning and Infrastructure Bill, which could weaken habitat protections.

What to watch next: the Welsh Government’s response to Badger Trust’s appeal and any policy adjustments ahead of the 2026 UK badger‑culling licence phase‑out.