Foot and Mouth
- Thread starter AndyF
- Start date
cap n chris
Well-known member
It will be interesting to see how the countryside agencies manage people movement during what remains of the (so far) economically lacklustre holiday season potentially bolstering a £15billion domestic industry.
My sympathy is extended to all those affected - and the newly incumbent C&A Officer!
My sympathy is extended to all those affected - and the newly incumbent C&A Officer!
cap n chris
Well-known member
Eh? - I don't understand you. The animals get culled one way or the other, though, surely? - either to be eaten or not?
Elaine
Active member
Those who were due to be slaughtered soon probably wont be too miffed, but I have several (beef) calves all looking forward to two or three years of English summers. Plus holstein heifer calves (dairy) who may see as much as 12-14 years of life. And as AndyF says, all of the dairy herd would have to go - most of whom have several years left in them.
I am very attached to my babies - the eye above belongs to a fairly recent addition to our dairy herd, a right soppy twit of a young cow - not yet 3.
I am very attached to my babies - the eye above belongs to a fairly recent addition to our dairy herd, a right soppy twit of a young cow - not yet 3.
whitelackington
New member
Not sure why this topic has been instantly moved to idle chat.
It was not long ago that English caving was locked down for six months because of the last Foot & Mouth Epidemic.
If this happenes again will it still, just be idle chat?
It was not long ago that English caving was locked down for six months because of the last Foot & Mouth Epidemic.
If this happenes again will it still, just be idle chat?
H
hoehlenforscher
Guest
And if you have a pedigree herd that you have been breeding up since losing everything in the last outbreak (despite ONLY being 3km away from a suspected outbreak...later proven negative), then the thought of losing all that breeding is sickening. Of any breeding herd or flock no more than about 30-40% will leave for the abatoir in any one year. Some old favourite old girls will grow old with you, faithfully providing a calf a year, for 15-20 years oir more. To loose them is to loose a family friend. I have only just given up smoking which I started again during the last outbreak when the army were called in to help with the cull, my partner still has suicidal days bought on by the memory of it.
I really feel for those farmers near to this outbreak and the ones already affected. Please lets hope we can sort this one like the Dutch did last time (though I doubt it!)
I really feel for those farmers near to this outbreak and the ones already affected. Please lets hope we can sort this one like the Dutch did last time (though I doubt it!)
Hughie
Active member
Until very recently we had a completely closed herd - so there are a lot of "family friends". Whilst not a registered pedigree herd, there has been a lot of expensive breeding.
Hopefully the powers that be will take us down the vaccination route rather than the culling route.
Hoehlenforscher, I sympathise with you.
Hopefully the powers that be will take us down the vaccination route rather than the culling route.
Hoehlenforscher, I sympathise with you.
cave junky
New member
This is what I heard during the last outbreak, but it may well be inncorrect. I was under the impression that we didn't vaccinate, as it would mean livestock or meat (not sure which) would not be exportable.
Ally
Ally
Hughie
Active member
Have just seen a DEFRA press conference - countryside is to remain open (for the time being)
Maybe conspiracy theory, but this link is interesting:- http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/6931639.stm.
And this:- http://www.defra.gov.uk/news/latest/2007/animal-0803.htm
If it's correct, then there's a very good chance that this outbreak will be rapidly contained and dealt with.
Have had a quick look around re vaccines and the implications of - can't really make head nor tail of it. Seems to me to be based more on exports rather than animal welfare. Vaccination has the potential to avoid contiguous culling and, in effect, ring fence the outbreak. However, from what I can make out, the EU market doesn't want f&m infected cattle (either vaccinated or disease carrying). The US certainly doesn't.
Will happily be corrected on any of the above.
Interestingly, as an aside, this country will import beef from certain South American countries where F&M is known to be rife.
From a peasants point of view, vaccination is the only way forward.
Maybe conspiracy theory, but this link is interesting:- http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/6931639.stm.
And this:- http://www.defra.gov.uk/news/latest/2007/animal-0803.htm
If it's correct, then there's a very good chance that this outbreak will be rapidly contained and dealt with.
Have had a quick look around re vaccines and the implications of - can't really make head nor tail of it. Seems to me to be based more on exports rather than animal welfare. Vaccination has the potential to avoid contiguous culling and, in effect, ring fence the outbreak. However, from what I can make out, the EU market doesn't want f&m infected cattle (either vaccinated or disease carrying). The US certainly doesn't.
Will happily be corrected on any of the above.
Interestingly, as an aside, this country will import beef from certain South American countries where F&M is known to be rife.
From a peasants point of view, vaccination is the only way forward.
badger
Active member
cap 'n chris said:
was pointing out the fact that some people seem to think of themselves and the inconvience it would seem to cause them if the country side was closed as last time( bemoan cant go caving), when the impact to the farmers and there live stock, to tourist industry etc would appear to me to be of far greater importance.
And the live stock getting culled one way or the other is correct, but getting culled and put into the food chain, and farmer paid a market value, or getting culled, cremated, then i assume a battle with insurance or defra for compensation which probably will amount to a value less than market value.
hopefully it seems the relevant authoritys have moved pretty quickly and have things under control.
whitelackington
New member
Not necessarily under control,
if it becomes clear that there has been a biosecurity leak out of Pirbright :-\
if it becomes clear that there has been a biosecurity leak out of Pirbright :-\
jasonbirder
Member
Possibly...but then wasn't the bird flu outbreak initially attributed to wild birds?
C
Colin the Caver
Guest
In 2001 the goverment/DEFRA (nee MAFF) got a bit of a shock at the effect of closing footpaths. Here in Cumbria, the worst effected area, F & M was rapidly becoming the secondary problem compared to the damage to the tourist economy.
This time they appear not to be going down the knee jerk.
Hopefully it will be nipped in the bud.
This time they appear not to be going down the knee jerk.
Hopefully it will be nipped in the bud.
AndyF
New member
Colin the Caver said:
I think thats right. The government chose (whether by accident or design) to favour the farming industry at the expense of tourist industry. I think in 2001 they just did what they did in the 50's and burnt animals, without a serious assesment of the hugely changed economic conditions.
International travel and trade simply did not exist in the 50's in the way they do now.
graham
New member
AndyF said:
Quite right, amongst other things, the movement of livestock around the country happens at a far higher rate than it did even at the time of the 1967 (?) outbreak. Thus the containment strategies were nowhere near as effective as they may have been. It looks like, through luck or judgement, this one is being better contained than 2001 was.
