Written question asked by Lord Taylor of Holbeach (Conservative), in the House of Lords. It was answered by Lord Rooker (Labour) on Thursday, 17 July 2008.

Bovine Tuberculosis

Question: asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether they finance or direct research into claims that the spread of bovine tuberculosis is encouraged where farmers use maize as cattle feed or where badgers are found to suffer from trace element deficiencies.

Answer: The role of maize in the spread of M. bovis has not been specifically investigated by any Defra-funded research projects. However case-control studies carried out as part of the randomised badger culling trial (RBCT) did investigate associations between a number of feed types and risk of a herd TB breakdown. Studies TB99 and CCS2005 found an association between feeding silage and the use of grass feeding types for grazing/forage and an increase in risk of TB breakdown, respectively. The findings of these studies are in the final report of the Independent Scientific Group on cattle TB. In addition, TB99 also identified not using feeding supplements as a risk factor for confirmed cases of TB. Defra remains open minded about the possibility of a nutritional link but because of the number of variables involved and the likelihood a causal link could never be proven, we are not inclined to fund further research into this subject. No research projects have been carried out which specifically investigate the association between BTB and trace element deficiencies in badgers.

Secondary information

Type: Written question
Reference: 4863; 703 c181-2WA
Session: 2007-08
Subjects: Badgers Cattle Animal feed Disease control Research Bovine tuberculosis Maize
Link: View this Written question on www.publications.parliament.uk