Department for the Economy

Bovine tuberculosis (bTB) is a costly, epidemiologically complex, multi-host, endemic disease. Lack of understanding of transmission dynamics may undermine eradication efforts. Pathogen whole-genome sequencing improves epidemiological inferences, providing a means to determine the relative importance of inter- and intra-species host transmission for disease persistence. We sequenced an exceptional data set of 619 Mycobacterium bovis isolates from badgers and cattle in a 100 km 2 bTB ‘hotspot’ in Northern Ireland. Historical molecular subtyping data permitted the targeting of an endemic pathogen lineage, whose long-term persistence provided a unique opportunity to study disease transmission dynamics in unparalleled detail. Additionally, to assess whether badger population genetic structure was associated with the spatial distribution of pathogen genetic diversity, we microsatellite genotyped hair samples from 769 badgers trapped in this area. Birth death models and TransPhylo analyses indicated that cattle were likely driving the local epidemic, with transmission from cattle to badgers being more common than badger to cattle. Furthermore, the presence of significant badger population genetic structure in the landscape was not associated with the spatial distribution of M. bovis genetic diversity, suggesting that badger-to-badger transmission is not playing a major role in transmission dynamics. Our data were consistent with badgers playing a smaller role in transmission of M. bovis infection in this study site, compared to cattle. We hypothesize, however, that this minor role may still be important for persistence. Comparison to other areas suggests that M. bovis transmission dynamics are likely to be context dependent, with the role of wildlife being difficult to generalize.

Abstract This article focuses on inequalities in agriculture in the European Union. We examine the mismatch between European legislation on employment and any rigorous interrogation of women's employment position in agriculture. Our central argument is that this occurs because agriculture is seen as a sector rather than an occupation. DG AGRI is responsible for European agricultural and rural development policies. DG EMPLOYMENT does not have oversight for the agricultural workforce in the same way as other occupations as the existence of DG AGRI means farming is less obviously understood as an occupation. There are no similar measures to address the under‐representation of women in agriculture in the same way as for science, technology, engineering and mathematics occupations. We demonstrate that when agricultural policies are seen as relating to an occupation rather than a sector, it becomes clearer how agricultural policy discriminates against women.

Abstract In this article, we examine how the European Union (EU) acts as an international organisation, developing policies to be implemented by national governments. We focus on agriculture and gender equality. We examine the relationship between the EU and Member States regarding the construction and delivery of policies. It is a complex process, with differential levels of power and other actors in the process, notably lobby groups. We examine how agricultural policies and gender equality policies are developed. We examine the 2014–2020 Rural Development Regulation and carried out research in four member states. Interviews were undertaken with people who have experience of implementing the Common Agricultural Policy measures at a national level. We find the power of key players to be very strong in the agricultural context and weak in the gender context. When the two fields are ‘married’, we find there is little scope or interest to advance gender equality measures in agricultural policy.

Mycobacterium bovis , the causative agent of animal tuberculosis, exhibits a broad host range - infecting, inducing pathology and transmitting from both bovine and wildlife hosts. Considerable effort has been extended to understanding the role wildlife may play in persistence and spread of infection. Infected cervids can spread infection to conspecifics and sympatric livestock as observed in the white-tailed deer ( Odocoileus virginanus ) population of Michigan, USA. However, in other territories, there is debate about whether cervids act as maintenance or spillover hosts, with ecological contexts such as deer density and proximity to livestock likely to be key determinants. In Ireland, sika deer ( Cervus nippon ) populations in County Wicklow have been proposed to act as maintenance hosts, an observation at odds with the view that elsewhere on the island they are primarily spillover hosts. In Northern Ireland, policy makers sought to understand the role cervids may be playing in the epidemiology of animal TB. A province wide cull of 522 deer, undertaken from 2019 to 2023, yielded 13 culture confirmed M. bovis isolates (animal prevalence 2.5 %). These were subjected to whole genome sequencing, alongside a further four archived isolates from deer and 190 from cattle to undertake a genome epidemiology study. Bayesian phylogenetic methods of birth death skyline and structured coalescent analyses were applied to track epidemic progression and estimate raw counts and rates of M. bovis transmission withing and between cattle and deer. Findings were consistent with the main driver of disease transmission detected being infected cattle, with deer playing a smaller role. • First study of Northern Irish deer and epidemiology of animal tuberculosis (aTB). • Deer TB prevalence is approximately 2.5 %. • Phylodynamic approach suggests cattle are major drivers of aTB. • Spillover of infection from cattle to deer is less common. • Deer do appear to spill infection back to cattle and are not a dead-end host.