Ladybird, You may have second thoughts on that if over the years your lively-hood as a Dairy Farmer had been devastated by the loss of animals you had nurtured from birth and knew all their kin from way back. Thousands of Dairy animals die every year because of Bovine disease, money for research is cut so Farmers see the only way out is culling. It all comes down to where do we put the money, Cancer research, or into general health care or can we spare some to eradicate Bovine Disease. Being from farming stock I do not know the answer. As to Fox hunting, most now appear to be living in Towns so the hunters will be racing round our Streets jumping garden fences and knocking over my Delphiniums, they could get just as good a ride chasing a scent.
Ladybird, You may have second thoughts on that if over the years your lively-hood as a Dairy Farmer had been devastated by the loss of animals you had nurtured from birth and knew all their kin from way back.
I know Frank. Its one of those dreadful dilemmas and I admit to being totally torn. Slightly different topic but I felt truly devastated by the awful foot and mouth outbreaks and the impacts they had on the farming communities - for whom I have the greatest admiration - and for those farmers who could trace their herds back through several human generations. Driving to Ullswater and seeing nothing but blank and empty fells was dreadful. Its a Catch 22. I just wish the Veterinarians could come up with a vaccine - either for the cattle or for the badgers.
Cacoethes: An irresistible urge to do something inadvisable
Fly tipping in general Lsilly- a vile blight on our countryside.
L'bird - my then husband and I were in the Lakes for an anniversary at the time of the foot and mouth aftermath. The worst thing for me was the silence. Truly horrible
It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
I am with you Ladybird and hate the thought of animals being destroyed in a random way, it comes down to money. Had the Government put a quarter of the compensation they have to pay Farmers into Veterinary research there may well have been at least a working vaccine by now. Some Farmers believe in culling others do not, as with all these things there are many schools of thought and no one knows the answer.
The foot and mouth crisis was a horrific time down here too. My worst memory is the smell of the pyres, there was no escape from it for days. I do wonder if the money it costs to cull each badger would be better invested in research into an effective vaccine. Surely it would be better to think long term. It breaks your heart to see big, burly farmers on the local news reduced to tears because their prized , often rare breeds cows/ herds being carted off for slaughter. These farmers genuinely love their animals they can trace back generations. Devon has just been given the go ahead to begin an extensive cull. The protests have now started. I wish l had the answers or a magic wand.?
There is a vaccine available but it is banned for cattle in the EU because there is currently no way to tell between an infected beast and a vaccinated beast. I'd have thought a simple process of vaccinating every single calf and noting it on the records associated with their ear tag would do the trick but that may be too simplistic.
They could also vaccinate badgers with a bit of concerted effort and organisation. Belgium managed to eradicate rabies in wild foxes using vaccines and it has been kept rabies free - apart from one dog imported from Morocco - by a programme of vaccinating dogs combined with the use of EU pet passports so it should be possible for badgers and TB.
Vendée - 20kms from Atlantic coast.
"The price good men (and women) pay for indifference to public affairs is to be ruled by evil men (and women)."
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Ladybird, You may have second thoughts on that if over the years your lively-hood as a Dairy Farmer had been devastated by the loss of animals you had nurtured from birth and knew all their kin from way back. Thousands of Dairy animals die every year because of Bovine disease, money for research is cut so Farmers see the only way out is culling. It all comes down to where do we put the money, Cancer research, or into general health care or can we spare some to eradicate Bovine Disease. Being from farming stock I do not know the answer. As to Fox hunting, most now appear to be living in Towns so the hunters will be racing round our Streets jumping garden fences and knocking over my Delphiniums, they could get just as good a ride chasing a scent.
Frank.
With you there Joyce. Also flytipping, especially by builders. ?
I know Frank. Its one of those dreadful dilemmas and I admit to being totally torn. Slightly different topic but I felt truly devastated by the awful foot and mouth outbreaks and the impacts they had on the farming communities - for whom I have the greatest admiration - and for those farmers who could trace their herds back through several human generations. Driving to Ullswater and seeing nothing but blank and empty fells was dreadful. Its a Catch 22. I just wish the Veterinarians could come up with a vaccine - either for the cattle or for the badgers.
Fly tipping in general Lsilly- a vile blight on our countryside.
L'bird - my then husband and I were in the Lakes for an anniversary at the time of the foot and mouth aftermath. The worst thing for me was the silence. Truly horrible
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
I am with you Ladybird and hate the thought of animals being destroyed in a random way, it comes down to money. Had the Government put a quarter of the compensation they have to pay Farmers into Veterinary research there may well have been at least a working vaccine by now. Some Farmers believe in culling others do not, as with all these things there are many schools of thought and no one knows the answer.
Frank.
The foot and mouth crisis was a horrific time down here too. My worst memory is the smell of the pyres, there was no escape from it for days. I do wonder if the money it costs to cull each badger would be better invested in research into an effective vaccine. Surely it would be better to think long term. It breaks your heart to see big, burly farmers on the local news reduced to tears because their prized , often rare breeds cows/ herds being carted off for slaughter. These farmers genuinely love their animals they can trace back generations. Devon has just been given the go ahead to begin an extensive cull. The protests have now started. I wish l had the answers or a magic wand.?
There is a vaccine available but it is banned for cattle in the EU because there is currently no way to tell between an infected beast and a vaccinated beast. I'd have thought a simple process of vaccinating every single calf and noting it on the records associated with their ear tag would do the trick but that may be too simplistic.
They could also vaccinate badgers with a bit of concerted effort and organisation. Belgium managed to eradicate rabies in wild foxes using vaccines and it has been kept rabies free - apart from one dog imported from Morocco - by a programme of vaccinating dogs combined with the use of EU pet passports so it should be possible for badgers and TB.