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East Offaly Badger Removal Project. 1989-1994. Area. Project Buffer Control. Objectives. Removal of as many badgers as possible. Monitor the effect of this removal on TB levels in cattle. Compare results with a control area & national figures. Preliminary Studies in E. Offaly.
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East Offaly Badger Removal Project 1989-1994
Area • Project • Buffer • Control
Objectives • Removal of as many badgers as possible. • Monitor the effect of this removal on TB levels in cattle. • Compare results with a control area & national figures.
Previous badger Removals. • Ballycrissane, Co Galway, 1985 • 7 sq km area • 54 badgers captured • 15 (29%) gross TB lesions
Sett Survey • Main Setts 234 • Other Setts 418 • 50% of main setts in hedgerow • 62% of other setts in hedgerow
Case control studyEves (2001) A case control study on the incidence of bovine TB in an area of extensive badger culling in Co Offaly, Ireland. M V M. thesis NUI. • 107 herds in the Project area. This was the total herds in the area with a confirmed TB outbreak in the years 1986,87 & 88. • 122 similar herds from the rest of Co Offaly in which intensive badger removal did not take place were selected at random.
Case control study (contd) • Herd size • Enterprise type • Cows per herd • Total reactors • Reactor cows • Reactor non-cows • Positive contiguous herds • Number of failed tests
Total Reactors (1990-1993) • 74 reactors in 30 of the Project Area herds. ( range 1 - 11) • 287 reactors in 57 of the Control Area herds. ( range 1- 34) • Difference statistically significant (P < 0.05)
Reactor non-cows • 36 reactor non-cows in Project Area. • 209 reactor non-cows in Control Area • Difference significantly different (P<0.05)
Positive Contiguous Herds • Project Area; 0.97 per herd • Control Area; 1.91 per herd • Difference statistically significant (P<0.01)
Number of failed tests • Project Area; 1.26 • Control Area; 2.03 • Difference statistically significant (P< 0.01)