The ecology of pathogen transmission between wildlife and livestock

Bovine tuberculosis (TB) is recognised as the most important endemic disease affecting the farming industry within the UK. Difficulties in eradicating the disease from the national cattle herd are thought to be in part due to transmission of Mycobacterium bovis (the causative agent of TB) between cattle and wildlife, especially badgers (Meles meles). Whilst it is known that badger-to-cattle and cattle-to-badger transmission of M. bovis is possible, it is less clear when and where these transmissions occur. In the first half of this thesis I investigate two potential locations of interspecific contact; badger activity within cattle grazed pasture fields (Chapter Two) and cattle activity at badger latrines (Chapter Three). I find that badgers preferentially forage in pasture fields that were occupied by cattle 8-14 days previously. Badgers preferred pasture fields occupied by cattle 8-14 days previously, and avoided fields occupied by cattle >35 days previously. These results suggest that badgers preferred to forage on short swards rather than taking advantage of earthworm accumulations under cowpats. This information could be used to ensure cattle do not return to fields during the period when badgers are most ... (continues)