Population ecology and prevalence of tuberculosis in Badgers in an area of Staffordshire

Cheeseman, C. L.; Little, T.W.A.; Mallinson, P. J.; Page, R. J. C.; Wilesmith, J. W.; Pritchard, D. G.

doi:10.1111/j.1365-2907.1985.tb00393.x

Cited by 31 publications

(21 citation statements)

References 11 publications

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“…Three of these populations are located in Scotland (Kruuk & Parish 1987;Kruuk 1989), one in Staffordshire (Cheeseman et al 1985) and two in southern England (Cheeseman et al 1987; this study). Three of these populations are located in Scotland (Kruuk & Parish 1987;Kruuk 1989), one in Staffordshire (Cheeseman et al 1985) and two in southern England (Cheeseman et al 1987; this study).…”

Section: Between Populationsmentioning

confidence: 80%

Female/Female Competition in European Badgers Meles meles: Effects on Breeding Success

Woodroffe¹,

Macdonald²

1995

The Journal of Animal Ecology

107

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JSTOR is a not-for-profit service that helps scholars, researchers, and students discover, use, and build upon a wide range of content in a trusted digital archive. We use information technology and tools to increase productivity and facilitate new forms of scholarship. For more information about JSTOR, please contact support@jstor.org.. British Ecological Society is collaborating with JSTOR to digitize, preserve and extend access to Journal of Animal Ecology. Summary 1. We present data on the effects of female/female competition on the reproductive success of European badgers Meles meles in Britain. While a single, dominant female usually suppresses reproduction in other female group members, elsewhere up to four females may breed successfully in each group. 2. Across Britain, the mean number of breeding females per social group decreases in populations living at high latitudes, where food availability and population density are relatively low. Within our study population in southern England, the number of breeding females in each social group increased with the quality of the group territory. 3. In our study population, all females aged 3 years and older became pregnant, but a proportion of females lost their litters during gestation or around the time of birth. The proportion of females that lost their litters was higher in larger groups. However, mean litter size at weaning remained roughly constant despite variation in the number of females lactating, and preweaning cub mortality appeared to be low. Females tended to disperse away from very large groups, and may have increased their chances of breeding in this way. These results suggest that females competed for breeding status, but that there was little competition among females thereafter. 4. The characteristics of females that produced cubs successfully differed between the 2 years when this study was carried out. Only females in relatively good condition bred successfully following a very dry summer, when food availability was low. However, when food availability was high, following a wet summer, females were in better condition on average and breeding success appeared to be related to social status. We suggest that this reflected a difference in the structure of competition between the two years. 5. In contrast with the situation in other social carnivores, reproductive suppression in badgers appears to be a response to female/female competition for resources, rather than a need for co-operative care of the young. Although alloparental care occurred in at least one badger population, this population had the lowest, rather than the highest, level of reproductive suppression.

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Section: Between Populationsmentioning

confidence: 80%

Female/Female Competition in European Badgers Meles meles: Effects on Breeding Success

Woodroffe¹,

Macdonald²

1995

The Journal of Animal Ecology

107

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

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“…From the epizootiological point of view, however, it is worthwhile to keep in mind that post-elimination resource of bovine tuberculosis may happen as a result of introduction of new animals into the herd by importation like in Slovenia (Table 2) or contraction of new infection from wild animals which could act as a natural reservoirs of the disease like badger in United Kingdom (Cheeseman et al, 1985(Cheeseman et al, , 1989.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Incidence of bovine tuberculosis in cattle in seven Central European countries during the years 1990-1999

Pavlík¹,

Ayele²,

Parmova³

et al. 2002

Vet. Med. - Czech

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The post-eradication incidence of bovine tuberculosis in seven Central European Countries (Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland, Slovakia and Slovenia) was studied between 1990 and 1999. The majority of cattle to the age of 24 months were screened by tuberculin skin test on annual basis. Tuberculous lesions observed during meat inspection at abattoirs were further laboratory examined by direct microscopy, cultivation and histology for the presence of mycobacteria. Data describing the incidence of the disease in animals for the whole period were obtained from all countries except Bosnia and Herzegovina, where data were obtained after the year 1995. Between the years 1990 and 1999, bovine tuberculosis was diagnosed in a total of 1 084 cattle herds. Nine hundred and seventy five (89.9%) outbreaks of the disease were reported in small herds (10 cows) and 109 (10.1%) outbreaks in large cattle herds (>10 cows). The last outbreak of bovine tuberculosis in cattle was diagnosed in Slovakia, Slovenia, the Czech Republic, Croatia and Bosnia and Herzegovina in 1993, 1993, 1995, 1999 and 1999, respectively. Bovine tuberculosis was diagnosed under proper quarantine in Slovenia in 37 fattening bulls imported from two European countries before animals were introduced to the targeting farms.

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“…Trapping commenced in the second week of June 1984. Each badger caught was transferred to a numbered 600 x 350 x 200 mm transportation cage constructed of 10-gauge Twillweld with a mesh size of 25 mm and fitted with a sliding door (Cheeseman et al 1985a). Trapping was suspended after three nights due to the activities of protesters.…”

Section: Methods Of Capturementioning

confidence: 99%

“…Two previous studies have investigated the ecology and prevalence of M. bovis infection in badgers in four areas in south-west England (Cheeseman et al 1981) and in one area in Staffordshire (Cheeseman et al 1985a). This paper describes the attempted removal of a defined badger population from an area of East Sussex to provide further information on the ecology of badgers and the epidemiology of tuberculosis in badger populations, and evaluate some non-destructive methods for the diagnosis of M. bovis infection in badgers from naturally infected populations.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Tuberculosis in East Sussex: III. Comparison of post-mortem and clinical methods for the diagnosis of tuberculosis in badgers

Pritchard

Stuart

Wilesmith

et al. 1986

J. Hyg.

Self Cite

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SUMMARYFollowing epidemiological and ecological studies of a defined badger population in an area of East Sussex, removal of all badgers by cage trapping was attempted. Trapping was incomplete due to the activities of protesters. Forty-seven badgers were caught from the eight social groups. All badgers were examined clinically and samples offaeces, urine and tracheal aspirate were taken, together with swabs from any bite wounds, for bacteriological examinations. Forty-five animals were skin tested using whole killed cells of Mycobacterium bovis strain AN5, bovine PPD Weybridge and new human tuberculin. Skin test results were recorded after 24 and 72 h. All badgers were killed and subjected to a post-mortem and bacteriological examination.M. bovis was detected in 10 (21-3 %) badgers at post-mortem and in 2 badgers from clinical samples. Four social groups were infected. Positive skin test results were recorded at 72 h with bovine PPD (2 ,ug and 20 ,ug/ml), strain AN5 (1 mg/ml) and human tuberculin (2 jug/ml), but not with human tuberculin at 20 jug/ml. Histological sections of the skin test reactions showed the cellular types typical of delayed-type hypersensitivity. The skin test reactions observed were neither sensitive nor specific enough to be of practical value.

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Population ecology and prevalence of tuberculosis in Badgers in an area of Staffordshire

Cited by 31 publications

References 11 publications

Female/Female Competition in European Badgers Meles meles: Effects on Breeding Success

Female/Female Competition in European Badgers Meles meles: Effects on Breeding Success

Incidence of bovine tuberculosis in cattle in seven Central European countries during the years 1990-1999

Tuberculosis in East Sussex: III. Comparison of post-mortem and clinical methods for the diagnosis of tuberculosis in badgers

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