THE Royal Agricultural University (RAU) will star on Countryfile this Sunday evening ( October 4), discussing badgers and biosecurity on the farm.

The popular BBC One series will feature Dr Rhiannon Naylor, lecturer in rural land use and management at the RAU, explaining the current biosecurity trials being undertaken at the University’s Harnhill Manor Farm, near Cirencester.

Dr Naylor has been working with farmers, vets and the South West TB Farm Advisory Board to design trough attachments which aim to reduce contact between badgers and cattle.

During the show, Rhiannon speaks to Countryfile presenter Tom Heap about the troughs, which were built by RAU students and positioned next to a badger sett on the farm.

The sett was baited with peanuts to tempt the badgers and determine whether they could access the troughs. The trial is ongoing so there are no conclusive results as yet.

Dr Naylor said: “The trials we’re running at the University are small scale, but provide important evidence to farmers thinking about implementing biosecurity measures on their farm. We are working with the industry to try to come up with practical solutions that can be adapted to different farming situations while being cost effective. We are planning to continue our biosecurity research, making use of the University farms and the badger population here.”

Dr Naylor also highlights a recent trial of the TB Buster – a mineral lick holder designed by Shropshire farmer Alan Hughes to prevent badger access to mineral lick buckets and blocks. The trial showed that the TB Buster could not be accessed by badgers but was robust enough to be used with cattle.

The show airs at 6.15pm.