Foraging Eurasian badgers Meles meles and the presence of cattle in pastures. Do badgers avoid cattle

摘要: Abstract The proximity of badgers (Meles meles) to cattle, and their propensity utilise pastures containing is fundamental importance in understanding transmission possibilities for Mycobacterium bovis between a wildlife reservoir cattle on farms. A study free-ranging carrying Global Positioning System (GPS) collars which allowed movements be tracked provided data use series paddocks with without present. badger were plotted against the grazing records farm, allowing comparison usage each paddock when it had not Badgers found avoid foraging cattle. They also showed varying levels preference different paddocks, but even preferred usually avoided This thus demonstrates convincingly first time that free ranging entering so, at pasture, this system least, direct contact individuals unlikely major route M. these species. It therefore suggests alternative strategies controlling cross-infection might focus other likely routes such as possible abnormal behaviour advanced generalised TB, contaminated fomites or farmyards housing.