Vaccination of badgers could prove a good way to tackle the spread of TB in the Westcountry, a new study shows.

In a four-year project, scientists found that vaccinating the animals with the newly licensed BCG vaccine reduced the incidence of TB infection in badgers by 74 per cent.

Opponents of a cull are buoyed by the research and have urged the Government to "follow the science" with a combination of vaccination, cattle testing and improved bio-security measures.

Farming leaders say vaccination is a good back-up measure but insist that only a cull can "turn back" the clock on the disease.

Robert Speechley, of the Cornwall Badger Rescue group, said: "This sort of proportion is very good and shows it will be far better to vaccinate rather than to try to shoot and cage free-running badgers."

The trial was the only study sanctioned out of the five projects planned by the previous Government and looked at the incidence of TB infection annually among 800 vaccinated and non-vaccinated badgers on setts in Gloucestershire.

The authors of the report, published by the Royal Society yesterday, cautioned that the research does not prove vaccinating badgers would reduce the number of cattle catching the disease.

But they say it could "overcome some of the challenges" surrounding badger culling, which the Government wants to bring in next year.

Robbie McDonald, head of the Wildlife and Emerging Diseases team at the Food and Environment Research Agency, said the trial was designed to look at the safety of giving animals BCG.

"All of the safety aspects are fine, and that's why we now have this licensed vaccine – but the exciting thing was we had this strong effect of the vaccine on incidence, a 74 per cent reduction," he added.

The NFU said vaccination was only part of the answer.

NFU South West regional chairman Ian Johnson said: "It can help dampen down the disease and disperse it once we have culled an area to make sure it doesn't come back."

Defra, which sponsored the trial, said: "While vaccination will not be as effective as culling in quickly lowering TB infection in badgers, it does have a part to play and our consultation covers how the two might be used together."

The Defra consultation closes on December 8.