Friday 31 May 2013
Saturday 13 August 2011
links to stuff
vaccine reduces spread & severity of disease even in sick animals
http://rspb.royalsocietypublishing.org/content/early/2010/11/24/rspb.2010.1953.abstract
gloucester vaccine
http://www.gloucestershirewildlifetrust.co.uk/Gwt/Gwt.Nsf/WEBARTICLE?OpenForm&id=E454586FE08C76D88025787800569B9F
www.badgersandtb.com/
http://archive.defra.gov.uk/foodfarm/farmanimal/diseases/atoz/tb/documents/bovinetb-scientificexperts-110404.pdf
http://blogs.warwick.ac.uk/mcvernon [reserach vet, spread of animal disease]
http://rspb.royalsocietypublishing.org/content/early/2010/11/24/rspb.2010.1953.abstract
gloucester vaccine
http://www.gloucestershirewildlifetrust.co.uk/Gwt/Gwt.Nsf/WEBARTICLE?OpenForm&id=E454586FE08C76D88025787800569B9F
www.badgersandtb.com/
http://archive.defra.gov.uk/foodfarm/farmanimal/diseases/atoz/tb/documents/bovinetb-scientificexperts-110404.pdf
http://blogs.warwick.ac.uk/mcvernon [reserach vet, spread of animal disease]
useful links from WAG on bTB reduction measures
http://wales.gov.uk/docs/drah/publications/100607gwlad96en.pdf
http://wales.gov.uk/docs/drah/publications/010701gwladtbspecialsummer10en.pdf
http://wales.gov.uk/docs/drah/publications/110317gwladbovinetben.pdf
page 13 for all wales testing regime
http://wales.gov.uk/docs/drah/publications/090811gwlad87en.pdf
http://wales.gov.uk/docs/drah/publications/010701gwladtbspecialsummer10en.pdf
http://wales.gov.uk/docs/drah/publications/110317gwladbovinetben.pdf
page 13 for all wales testing regime
http://wales.gov.uk/docs/drah/publications/090811gwlad87en.pdf
Thursday 11 August 2011
one of the arguments
One of the arguments for a badger cull, that really annoys me, is the one about the emotional trauma to farmers about losing their cattle...and seeing them slaughtered on the farm. First: why are they being slaughtered on the farm, this is not normal - is it only cows in calf? I ask that as that is sometimes mentioned. I would imagine that most of the cattle go to the slaughter house. I was more distressed about our animals having to go off the land and not be slaughtered on the farm, especially as the lorry that arrived was enormous and not gated - this being illegal. We did mention this to animal health but they did nothing. We really should have followed it up but as we were in the limbo land of a family death at home after a long illness and the funeral, none of was in any fit state to deal with anything properly.
Many many more cattle get slaughtered prematurely due to lameness, mastistis, low milk yield and barreness. Infact these figues make bTB look insignificant. And some breeds of milking cow don't make it past about 3 calves - I was told that by a cattle judge. Also of course cattle are killed somewhat early in their life for meat.
Yes when you have been breeding your own herd and you lose a prize cow, you have lost all her future calves and her milk yeild. No compensation will cover that financial lose, or the loss to breeding - or the work and effort you have put into that animal. I have seen this happen on small farms in my area. And yes they have nurtured those animals and intended a lot longer life for them
So I guess that the farmers who are emotionally upset about the premature deaths of their cows can understand the distress that people who watch/study/protect badgers will feel if badgers are shot, especially when at least 70% - I've decided to be conservative - of those badgers will be healthy.
It is not an argument for badger deaths but for a long term strategy to be set up to tackle bTB, bsdger culling is not long term
Many many more cattle get slaughtered prematurely due to lameness, mastistis, low milk yield and barreness. Infact these figues make bTB look insignificant. And some breeds of milking cow don't make it past about 3 calves - I was told that by a cattle judge. Also of course cattle are killed somewhat early in their life for meat.
Yes when you have been breeding your own herd and you lose a prize cow, you have lost all her future calves and her milk yeild. No compensation will cover that financial lose, or the loss to breeding - or the work and effort you have put into that animal. I have seen this happen on small farms in my area. And yes they have nurtured those animals and intended a lot longer life for them
So I guess that the farmers who are emotionally upset about the premature deaths of their cows can understand the distress that people who watch/study/protect badgers will feel if badgers are shot, especially when at least 70% - I've decided to be conservative - of those badgers will be healthy.
It is not an argument for badger deaths but for a long term strategy to be set up to tackle bTB, bsdger culling is not long term
Sunday 7 August 2011
failure of reactive culling
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-201404/Badgers-blamed-rise-TB.html
Rethink bTB
from Rethink bTB website
Rethink Bovine TB (bTB) is an independent research group funded by people with an interest in examining public policy as it affects agriculture, animal diseases, animal welfare and the financial viability of farming.
Rethink Bovine TB gratefully acknowledges original research and evidence offered by academic and industry experts and information and data provided by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.
We hope that this report will serve to stimulate discussion and bring the Bovine Tuberculosis (TB) policy, essentially unchanged for many decades, rapidly into the twenty first century. We look forward to and welcome comments and criticism from all who read it.
Rethink Bovine TB would like to thank the many people who have provided information or contributed comments and suggestions, which have been used in the second edition.
In this, the second edition of our document, we discuss the Bovine TB policy in England and Wales, and propose radical but practical and cost effective solutions. We will draw our evidence from a variety of sources, but in particular Defra (the Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs) and.
We will avoid complex statistical manipulation, as the same data and numerical evidence is being used to prove opposing views. We will instead concentrate on simple clear facts, and demonstrable cause and effect.
Download from here
Rethink Bovine TB (bTB) is an independent research group funded by people with an interest in examining public policy as it affects agriculture, animal diseases, animal welfare and the financial viability of farming.
Rethink Bovine TB gratefully acknowledges original research and evidence offered by academic and industry experts and information and data provided by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.
We hope that this report will serve to stimulate discussion and bring the Bovine Tuberculosis (TB) policy, essentially unchanged for many decades, rapidly into the twenty first century. We look forward to and welcome comments and criticism from all who read it.
Rethink Bovine TB would like to thank the many people who have provided information or contributed comments and suggestions, which have been used in the second edition.
In this, the second edition of our document, we discuss the Bovine TB policy in England and Wales, and propose radical but practical and cost effective solutions. We will draw our evidence from a variety of sources, but in particular Defra (the Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs) and.
We will avoid complex statistical manipulation, as the same data and numerical evidence is being used to prove opposing views. We will instead concentrate on simple clear facts, and demonstrable cause and effect.
Download from here
Saturday 6 August 2011
latest from badger trust
Subject: Google news alert - 30th July – 5th August 2011
Please note that some of these Alerts offer the opportunity for comments to be added to the discussion boards and it is hoped that recipients of this e-mail will add their views. It is an ideal opportunity to take advantage of widely read free publicity and explain the anti-cull arguments to the general public.
Thursday 4th August
Thousands petition against badger cull
FarmersWeekly
Thousands of people have signed up to a campaign calling on the government to rethink its plans for a badger cull to combat cattle tuberculosis. As Farmers Weekly went to press, an online petition by campaign group 38 Degrees was set to pass 20000 ...
http://www.fwi.co.uk/Articles/2011/08/04/128194/Thousands-petition-against-badger-cull.htm
Wednesday 3rd August
‘FARMERS are being urged to help in the fight against the spread of bovine TB in Cumbria by reporting on the whereabouts of badger setts.’
http://www.thewestmorlandgazette.co.uk/news/farm_and_country/9170949.Cumbria_farmers_urged_to_report_badger_setts_in_fight_against_bovine_TB/
Think again on badgers
Wirral News
ŠI continue to support a science-led approach to dealing with bovine TB which shows that vaccination offers the best hope of effectively tackling BTB in the long term. Last year the Government halted five of the six vaccine pilots that were ...
http://www.wirralnews.co.uk/wirral-news/local-wirral-news/wallasey-news/2011/08/03/think-again-on-badgers-80491-29163315/
Tuesday 2nd August
Plan for badger cull is slammed as 'sickening'
Eastbourne Today
A WILDLIFE rescuer has described the government's decision to allow badgers to be culled as 'sickening'. The RSPCA is also devastated that, following years of contentious debate, the government has told Sussex farmer they can hire marksmen to shoot the ...
http://www.eastbourneherald.co.uk/community/trevor-s-week-and-animal-stories/plan_for_badger_cull_is_slammed_as_sickening_1_2920342
Badgers dragged from setts forced into dog fighting
Teesdale Mercury
BADGERS are being ripped from setts in Teesdale and shipped to other parts of the UK where they are forced to fight with dogs, according to a local wildlife trust. Graham Temby, from the County Durham Badger Trust, said gangs travel to Teesdale and ...
http://www.teesdalemercury.co.uk/teesdale-news/story,3503.html
Communication needed if Animal Health is to keep TB out of Cumbria
Farming UK
'Regular communication between Animal Health, vets and farmers is vital if the agricultural industry is to stop bovine TB from becoming established in Cumbria,' says the NFU's North West Dairy Board Chairman. Russell Bowman, of Castlerigg Farm in ...
http://www.farminguk.com/news/Communication-needed-if-Animal-Health-is-to-keep-TB-out-of-Cumbria_21273.html
Monday 1st August 2011
38 Degrees campaigners join fight against bovine TB badger cull
Mirror.co.uk
Ministers say shooting the animals will stop bovine TB, which is causing 25000 cattle a year to be slaughtered. But 13000 people have signed a petition by lobby group 38 Degrees to consider more effective options, after official advisers said a mass ...
See all stories on this topic »
http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/top-stories/2011/08/01/38-degrees-campaigners-join-fight-against-bovine-tb-badger-cull-115875-23311716/
Farmers urged to report badger setts in fight against bovine TB
Westmorland Gazette
FARMERS are being urged to help in the fight against the spread of bovine TB in Cumbria by reporting on the whereabouts of badger setts. The call was made by veterinary officer Tanis Brough as she addressed a public meeting at Stoneybeck Inn, Penrith, ...
See all stories on this topic »
http://www.thewestmorlandgazette.co.uk/news/9170949.Farmers_urged_to_report_badger_setts_in_fight_against_bovine_TB/
Badgers discovered on proposed 1200-home site
Cambridge News
Badgers have been discovered on land where a controversial 1200 home development is planned, an inquiry heard. The presence of the animals at Hatchfield Farm could prolong the planning inquiry into the proposed development and delay work on the site, ...
See all stories on this topic »
http://www.cambridge-news.co.uk/Newmarket/Badgers-discovered-on-proposed-1200-home-site-01082011.htm
Badger protesters mobilise for battle
The Independent
By Lewis Smith The fight to stop thousands of badgers being culled has been joined by the campaign group which played a key role in forcing the Government to drop plans to sell off forests. The involvement of 38 Degrees heaps more pressure on the ...
See all stories on this topic »
http://www.independent.co.uk/environment/nature/badger-protesters-mobilise-for-battle-2329706.html
Sunday 31st July
Campaigners aim to stop badger cull
The Independent
By David Wilcock A campaign group which helped force the Government into an embarrassing u-turn over plans to sell off forests has set its sights on stopping a planned cull of badgers. The Government announced earlier this month that it would press ...
See all stories on this topic »
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/campaigners-aim-to-stop-badger-cull-2329448.html
'I GIVE MY BADGERS VITAMINS TO STOP TB'
Express.co.uk
By Stuart Winter, Environment Editor FARMER Dick Roper has vowed not to shoot badgers on his land but to feed them a daily dose of health supplements to prevent the spread of a deadly disease hitting dairy herds. Badgers are due to be shot in a cull ...
See all stories on this topic »
http://www.express.co.uk/posts/view/262162/-I-give-my-badgers-vitamins-to-stop-TB-
Saturday 30th July
Minister for the Environment and Sustainable development on fact ...
Farming UK
... demonstrates a link between the disease in badgers and cattle. ... we will never win this battle alone and it requires Welsh Government to deal also ...
http://www.farminguk.com/news/Minister-for-the-Environment-and-Sustainable-development-on-fact-finding-farm-visit_21263.html
Forest campaigners launch mission to stop badger cull
This is Somerset
The pressure group that forced the Government into a U-turn on the sell-off of forests has launched a campaign to halt the proposed cull of badgers. But a West Country MP last night labelled 38 Degrees as an “urban pressure group that does not ...
See all stories on this topic »
http://www.thisissomerset.co.uk/Forest-campaigners-launch-mission-stop-badger/story-13039960-detail/story.html
Giving badgers the bullet is 'a very bold course, minister'
Financial Times
Such was the widespread expectation last week, after Caroline Spelman, environment minister, announced she was “strongly minded” to authorise a nationwide badger cull. Overwhelming scientific evidence shows that badgers are carriers of bovine ...
See all stories on this topic »
http://www.ft.com/cms/s/f3b10f52-ba25-11e0-b313-00144feabdc0,Authorised=false.html?_i_location=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ft.com%2Fcms%2Fs%2F0%2Ff3b10f52-ba25-11e0-b313-00144feabdc0.html&_i_referer=#axzz1Tm94njRr
Please note that some of these Alerts offer the opportunity for comments to be added to the discussion boards and it is hoped that recipients of this e-mail will add their views. It is an ideal opportunity to take advantage of widely read free publicity and explain the anti-cull arguments to the general public.
Thursday 4th August
Thousands petition against badger cull
FarmersWeekly
Thousands of people have signed up to a campaign calling on the government to rethink its plans for a badger cull to combat cattle tuberculosis. As Farmers Weekly went to press, an online petition by campaign group 38 Degrees was set to pass 20000 ...
http://www.fwi.co.uk/Articles/2011/08/04/128194/Thousands-petition-against-badger-cull.htm
Wednesday 3rd August
‘FARMERS are being urged to help in the fight against the spread of bovine TB in Cumbria by reporting on the whereabouts of badger setts.’
http://www.thewestmorlandgazette.co.uk/news/farm_and_country/9170949.Cumbria_farmers_urged_to_report_badger_setts_in_fight_against_bovine_TB/
Think again on badgers
Wirral News
ŠI continue to support a science-led approach to dealing with bovine TB which shows that vaccination offers the best hope of effectively tackling BTB in the long term. Last year the Government halted five of the six vaccine pilots that were ...
http://www.wirralnews.co.uk/wirral-news/local-wirral-news/wallasey-news/2011/08/03/think-again-on-badgers-80491-29163315/
Tuesday 2nd August
Plan for badger cull is slammed as 'sickening'
Eastbourne Today
A WILDLIFE rescuer has described the government's decision to allow badgers to be culled as 'sickening'. The RSPCA is also devastated that, following years of contentious debate, the government has told Sussex farmer they can hire marksmen to shoot the ...
http://www.eastbourneherald.co.uk/community/trevor-s-week-and-animal-stories/plan_for_badger_cull_is_slammed_as_sickening_1_2920342
Badgers dragged from setts forced into dog fighting
Teesdale Mercury
BADGERS are being ripped from setts in Teesdale and shipped to other parts of the UK where they are forced to fight with dogs, according to a local wildlife trust. Graham Temby, from the County Durham Badger Trust, said gangs travel to Teesdale and ...
http://www.teesdalemercury.co.uk/teesdale-news/story,3503.html
Communication needed if Animal Health is to keep TB out of Cumbria
Farming UK
'Regular communication between Animal Health, vets and farmers is vital if the agricultural industry is to stop bovine TB from becoming established in Cumbria,' says the NFU's North West Dairy Board Chairman. Russell Bowman, of Castlerigg Farm in ...
http://www.farminguk.com/news/Communication-needed-if-Animal-Health-is-to-keep-TB-out-of-Cumbria_21273.html
Monday 1st August 2011
38 Degrees campaigners join fight against bovine TB badger cull
Mirror.co.uk
Ministers say shooting the animals will stop bovine TB, which is causing 25000 cattle a year to be slaughtered. But 13000 people have signed a petition by lobby group 38 Degrees to consider more effective options, after official advisers said a mass ...
See all stories on this topic »
http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/top-stories/2011/08/01/38-degrees-campaigners-join-fight-against-bovine-tb-badger-cull-115875-23311716/
Farmers urged to report badger setts in fight against bovine TB
Westmorland Gazette
FARMERS are being urged to help in the fight against the spread of bovine TB in Cumbria by reporting on the whereabouts of badger setts. The call was made by veterinary officer Tanis Brough as she addressed a public meeting at Stoneybeck Inn, Penrith, ...
See all stories on this topic »
http://www.thewestmorlandgazette.co.uk/news/9170949.Farmers_urged_to_report_badger_setts_in_fight_against_bovine_TB/
Badgers discovered on proposed 1200-home site
Cambridge News
Badgers have been discovered on land where a controversial 1200 home development is planned, an inquiry heard. The presence of the animals at Hatchfield Farm could prolong the planning inquiry into the proposed development and delay work on the site, ...
See all stories on this topic »
http://www.cambridge-news.co.uk/Newmarket/Badgers-discovered-on-proposed-1200-home-site-01082011.htm
Badger protesters mobilise for battle
The Independent
By Lewis Smith The fight to stop thousands of badgers being culled has been joined by the campaign group which played a key role in forcing the Government to drop plans to sell off forests. The involvement of 38 Degrees heaps more pressure on the ...
See all stories on this topic »
http://www.independent.co.uk/environment/nature/badger-protesters-mobilise-for-battle-2329706.html
Sunday 31st July
Campaigners aim to stop badger cull
The Independent
By David Wilcock A campaign group which helped force the Government into an embarrassing u-turn over plans to sell off forests has set its sights on stopping a planned cull of badgers. The Government announced earlier this month that it would press ...
See all stories on this topic »
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/campaigners-aim-to-stop-badger-cull-2329448.html
'I GIVE MY BADGERS VITAMINS TO STOP TB'
Express.co.uk
By Stuart Winter, Environment Editor FARMER Dick Roper has vowed not to shoot badgers on his land but to feed them a daily dose of health supplements to prevent the spread of a deadly disease hitting dairy herds. Badgers are due to be shot in a cull ...
See all stories on this topic »
http://www.express.co.uk/posts/view/262162/-I-give-my-badgers-vitamins-to-stop-TB-
Saturday 30th July
Minister for the Environment and Sustainable development on fact ...
Farming UK
... demonstrates a link between the disease in badgers and cattle. ... we will never win this battle alone and it requires Welsh Government to deal also ...
http://www.farminguk.com/news/Minister-for-the-Environment-and-Sustainable-development-on-fact-finding-farm-visit_21263.html
Forest campaigners launch mission to stop badger cull
This is Somerset
The pressure group that forced the Government into a U-turn on the sell-off of forests has launched a campaign to halt the proposed cull of badgers. But a West Country MP last night labelled 38 Degrees as an “urban pressure group that does not ...
See all stories on this topic »
http://www.thisissomerset.co.uk/Forest-campaigners-launch-mission-stop-badger/story-13039960-detail/story.html
Giving badgers the bullet is 'a very bold course, minister'
Financial Times
Such was the widespread expectation last week, after Caroline Spelman, environment minister, announced she was “strongly minded” to authorise a nationwide badger cull. Overwhelming scientific evidence shows that badgers are carriers of bovine ...
See all stories on this topic »
http://www.ft.com/cms/s/f3b10f52-ba25-11e0-b313-00144feabdc0,Authorised=false.html?_i_location=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ft.com%2Fcms%2Fs%2F0%2Ff3b10f52-ba25-11e0-b313-00144feabdc0.html&_i_referer=#axzz1Tm94njRr
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