Posted by Neil Burton on September 17, 2012 at 3:38 PM
So it all comes right down to money in the end. Not only cattle but who pays for the cull. Govt just washes it's hands.
Posted by Paul Whippey on September 17, 2012 at 5:10 PM
Its always about money, which is why I'm surprised that here in Wales our government has appeared to do the right thing.
I've already signed this, but it can be ignored of course:
http://epetitions.direct.gov.uk/petitions/38257
Posted by Nick Mckeown on September 17, 2012 at 6:32 PM
As an ex badger group chairman I just weep at the sheer folly.
Nick.
Posted by Andy Shepherd on September 18, 2012 at 3:49 AM
When there are no badgers left it will be a case of "who'd of thought it". Vaccination should be the only way to go IMO.
Andy...
Posted by John MacTavish on September 18, 2012 at 11:44 AM
There are a number of courses the government could steer to reduce the incidences of Bovine TB, by advocating the cull they have possibly chosen the one that will have most sides thinking "It won't work". Science has proven that random badger culls in areas of high incidence of TB in badgers only serves to spread the disease even further ( http://www.bovinetb.info/docs/final_report.pdf )
Vaccinating badgers is another theory being put about, but again the science shows that it does not work, and after twelve months it needs doing again, but after any badger being vaccinated once it becomes impossible to tell if it is carrying the disease or if it is carrying the vaccination, the same story holds true for cattle, hence why the EU will not allow vaccinated animals into the food chain. Vaccinating either the badgers or the cattle is a short term side-step of the problem.
As I see it, the only viable solutions are to either not allow cattle in areas of high badger density, or do not allow badgers in areas of high cattle density. The only effective way to eradicate a badger population from an area is to gas and destroy the setts, but this was ruled as inhumane in the early 1980s, but looking at the incidence of TB in the areas where badgers were eradicated it would suggest that the policy did work, however distasteful it was. Again though, it is a short term fix to a problem that for decades has not been confronted. Some areas of our country are not suitable for cattle production simply because the topography does not lend its self to being able to keep badgers separate from cattle. either by fencing or making the habitat unsuitable for both to mix with each other.
What doesn't help now are the opinions of minor celebrities jumping on a hate the farmer campaign. Folks should realise that cattlemen have as much feeling (if not more because they are living with them every day) as their badger friendly counterparts
The last big stride in the eradication of TB infection in humans via cattle was the advent of pasteurisation of milk, but once that was done there was little or no money made available to come up with any other means of denying cross contamination. To me, both vaccination and culling are the two red herrings in this debate. Both are very short term fixes to a very complicated problem.
One thing is for certain, no one should want to introduce the risk of TB becoming part of our children's future. It was a vile disease that has been almost totally eradicated in this country, to allow it to return would be shameful
Posted by Nick Mckeown on September 18, 2012 at 6:29 PM
Have to disagree a little John, there are pockets of areas in the south west of England that have always had high incidences of TB no matter what was done to the poor badger. A lot of research has been carried out on Bovine TB and it is still not fully understood, futhermore it is also known that poor housekeeping by some farmers has been a major contributing factor to facilitating the passing of TB between badgers and cattle. Once you clear badgers from high density areas a void will be created. Badgers will move into these areas due to pressure to find feeding territories. How do you permanently stop these animals from migrating into the "dead zone"? Badgers are highly social creatures and are known to visit nearby clans so how far do you have to go with this boundary? This can never, ever be a short term solution for if you want the "dead zone" to remain dead for a protracted period it will mean constantly executing any badger that enters it from nearby clan territories. If a alpha male is killed this waill cause stress to the clan and could cause TB to erupt in areas outside the "dead zone" And if cattle stop contracting TB in the dead zone what then? Exterminate the badger? It is a pointless, costly and barbaric exercise.
Discussion
6 repliesAn issue very close to my heart having spent hours with these wonderful creatures.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-19623931
I've already signed this, but it can be ignored of course:
http://epetitions.direct.gov.uk/petitions/38257
Nick.
When there are no badgers left it will be a case of "who'd of thought it". Vaccination should be the only way to go IMO.
Andy...
Vaccinating badgers is another theory being put about, but again the science shows that it does not work, and after twelve months it needs doing again, but after any badger being vaccinated once it becomes impossible to tell if it is carrying the disease or if it is carrying the vaccination, the same story holds true for cattle, hence why the EU will not allow vaccinated animals into the food chain. Vaccinating either the badgers or the cattle is a short term side-step of the problem.
As I see it, the only viable solutions are to either not allow cattle in areas of high badger density, or do not allow badgers in areas of high cattle density. The only effective way to eradicate a badger population from an area is to gas and destroy the setts, but this was ruled as inhumane in the early 1980s, but looking at the incidence of TB in the areas where badgers were eradicated it would suggest that the policy did work, however distasteful it was. Again though, it is a short term fix to a problem that for decades has not been confronted. Some areas of our country are not suitable for cattle production simply because the topography does not lend its self to being able to keep badgers separate from cattle. either by fencing or making the habitat unsuitable for both to mix with each other.
What doesn't help now are the opinions of minor celebrities jumping on a hate the farmer campaign. Folks should realise that cattlemen have as much feeling (if not more because they are living with them every day) as their badger friendly counterparts
The last big stride in the eradication of TB infection in humans via cattle was the advent of pasteurisation of milk, but once that was done there was little or no money made available to come up with any other means of denying cross contamination. To me, both vaccination and culling are the two red herrings in this debate. Both are very short term fixes to a very complicated problem.
One thing is for certain, no one should want to introduce the risk of TB becoming part of our children's future. It was a vile disease that has been almost totally eradicated in this country, to allow it to return would be shameful
Nick.