Cows could soon be vaccinated against tuberculosis, ending the need for culls of the badgers thought to be infecting them, thanks to a breakthrough by British scientists. Researchers from the Animal Health and Veterinary Laboratories Agency in Weybridge, Surrey, have found a test that is able to distinguish infected cows and cows that have been immunised. Currently vaccinating cows against bovine TB is subject to an EU ban because there's current diagnostic tests are unable to pick out an inoculated cow from one actually carrying the virus. Disease carrier? Badgers are set to be culled in their tens of thousands because of suspected links to the spread of bovine tuberculosis - but a new breakthrough could halt the killings of the protected species
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Vaccinating cows against TB currently banned under EU law because there is now way to distinguish them from infected cows
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Controversial pilot badger cull set to begin within the next fortnight in Gloucestershire and Somerset
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Campaigners have vowed to disrupt the killings, and police suspect the opposition to the cull has been infiltrated by violent extremists
Used in conjunction with a new cattle vaccine that is being simultaneously developed, the test could enable the government to ask the @placeholder for the law to be changed - potentially halting further planned badger culls.