VACCINATING more than 800 badgers in Gloucestershire slashed the number testing positive for TB by three-quarters.

The findings of a four-year trial have given ammunition to supporters of mass vaccination against tuberculosis.

The first vaccine for badgers (Badger BCG) could be licensed by the Veterinary Medicines Directorate in March.

The study found injecting badgers resulted in a 74 per cent fall in the proportion of the animals testing positive to the antibody blood test for TB.

However, officials point out that while the findings indicate a clear effect of vaccination on badger disease, it does not give a 'definitive' figure for its effectiveness. Nor does it provide information on the effect of badger vaccination in reducing TB in cattle.

The study results come as the Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs published analysis of methods of controlling the disease.

It showed injecting the animals could make a "positive contribution". However, it noted "the combined strategy requires about twice as much effort than either single approach done in isolation".

Government plans are out for consultation that would see the issuing of licences to farmers and landowners who wanted to cull and/or vaccinate badgers.

Last year 25,000 infected cattle were slaughtered in England.