Research is currently underway by Defra (Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs) to develop a female oral contraceptive for badgers. Ideally, the contraceptive would be available to female badgers through oral baits and would aid in reducing population growth by preventing these females from reproducing. Mathematical models have predicted that fertility control alone would not be effective in eradicating bTB, but would need to be used in combination with other strategies such as vaccination or culling (Swinton et al., 1997).

This potential alternative is not yet available.