Why You Shouldn’t Overlook Brian May’s TB Findings: A Closer Look

It was truly refreshing to witness animal advocates and farmers collaborating in the recent BBC documentary Brian May: The Badgers, The Farmers and Me, demonstrating a level of mutual respect that is all too rare in these discussions, moving away from the typical antagonistic exchanges.

While the narrative was primarily voiced by an activist, it offered a perspective that, albeit biased, was no more one-sided than it would have been had it been presented from a farmer’s viewpoint—in fact, it balanced the discourse in a different way.

For further insights, see: Brian May – ‘Badgers are irrelevant in cattle TB spread’

Animal veterinarian Dick Sibley is a thoughtful expert, alongside informed farmers Robert Reed and Chris and Bella Mossman; Brian May is certainly no novice. Why wouldn’t farmers be open to the insights they’ve gathered regarding the serious issue of bovine TB?

The documentary highlighted that a novel perspective, even if controversial to some, can uncover critical findings that may have previously been overlooked due to entrenched conventions.

It raises questions about the government’s hesitance towards allowing self-testing on TB-negative herds conducted by authorized veterinarians examining the health concerns of their clients.

This lack of support is bewildering—unless there’s a fear of uncovering inconvenient truths.

Transmission Vectors

It is clear that multiple transmission vectors for TB exist, and some lateral thinking may help reveal them.

The Gatcombe team has pointed out that slurry lagoons might simply act as massive fermentation sources for TB.

Exploring options such as slurry inoculants, reintroducing deep litter systems, or prolonging the use of slurry in anaerobic digestion could be beneficial in managing TB levels.

Additionally, the increase in maize cultivation in the UK, aimed at providing feed for livestock and anaerobic digesters, raises concerns; after all, badgers enjoy a diet rich in maize and hedgehogs.

One might wonder why the geographical distribution of maize across the UK closely resembles the distribution map for TB cases.

Badgers, as social animals that live in family groups near consistent food sources and mark their territory with latrines, likely contribute to the problem. Similarly, cows also form social groups and exhibit a natural curiosity, prompting them to investigate their surroundings.

Such close interactions create ideal scenarios for pathogens to thrive and spread.

Historical Perspective on Protected Species

I remember a time when badgers weren’t protected, the public was largely unaware of potential badger-TB-cattle connections, and dairy farmers generally believed their herds to be free of TB.

Reflecting on those times, I recall a conversation with a ministry veterinarian who had worked on the original Krebs investigation. I asked him if he thought badgers played a role in spreading TB.

He responded: “When a farm experiences a TB outbreak and only the cattle are culled, TB returns within six months. However, if we also cull badgers within a 3km radius, we have yet to see a recurrence. You can draw your own conclusions.”

The Brian May documentary certainly offered a provocative examination of TB management.

While solely improving slurry management may not eliminate our entrenched TB challenges any more than restricting badger culling might, we should certainly consider new research that reveals fresh understandings of how TB disperses—especially as current testing fails to identify all carriers.

The puzzle pieces that could lead to a solution are likely already existing, just awaiting innovative thinkers, perhaps like the Gatcombe team, to assemble them into a coherent picture.