Cattle TB vaccination in the UK
Bovine tuberculosis remains a complex animal health challenge
12 November 2025
2 minute read
By: [Excerpt of a report by the World Organization for Animal Health: The State of the World’s Animal Health 20251]
The UK is currently at the forefront of efforts to license a cattle tuberculosis (TB) vaccine based on the Bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG) strain, along with a companion diagnostic test to differentiate infected from vaccinated animals (DIVA). This innovation could allow for effective disease control alongside other proven strategies.
Bovine tuberculosis remains one of the most complex animal health challenges in the UK. In England alone, tens of thousands of cattle are slaughtered each year due to the disease, resulting in significant economic losses for farmers and public authorities alike. Current control strategies rely heavily on biosecurity, regular testing, movement restrictions, and removal of infected animals, measures that are not only expensive but also socially and politically divisive, particularly when they involve wildlife such as badgers.
The potential introduction of a BCG-based cattle vaccine, coupled with a DIVA test, could shift the paradigm. The ability to vaccinate cattle without compromising the accuracy of diagnostic surveillance has long been a scientific and regulatory hurdle. The DIVA test, which detects specific markers absent in vaccinated animals, aims to solve this problem. In 2021, field trials for the vaccine-DIVA combination began in England and Wales, involving volunteer farms under real-world conditions. These trials are a critical step towards obtaining commercial authorization, both nationally and potentially through international bodies like the World Organization for Animal Health (WOAH).
However, the implementation of cattle vaccination is not straightforward. Even if proven safe and effective, a licensed vaccine must also meet trade standards. Some countries currently prohibit live animal or germplasm imports from regions where TB vaccination is used, due to concerns over current test interference. For the UK, and any other country considering this route, securing international recognition for DIVA-compatible vaccines will be essential for protecting trade relationships.
The UK Government has emphasized that the development of a cattle vaccine is part of a broader, long-term bovine TB eradication strategy. However, progress has been incremental, and the timeline for widespread rollout remains uncertain. Questions also remain about who will bear the costs of vaccination, how it will be delivered at scale, and how it will fit into broader disease control programs.
Investment by the UK in this approach is significant, and other countries with high TB burdens are watching closely. The UK is actively engaging with WOAH on these trials and once completed is committed to sharing findings with trading partners to ensure they have confidence in the CattleBCG vaccine and DIVA skin test. The outcomes of the UK’s efforts may influence future policy directions elsewhere, especially in regions where test-and-cull policies are less practical or politically feasible. If successful, this case could support a wider shift toward integrated, science-based TB control strategies that better align with the principles of One Health.
Reference
1World Organization for Animal Health (2025). – The State of the World’s Animal Health 2025. Paris, 120pp. https://doi.org/10.20506/woah..... License: CC BY-SA 3.0 IGO.
