Friday, January 14, 2005

NFBG response to 4 area Irish trial

The National federation of Badger Groups' response to the published results of the 4 area Irish trial is ... strange.

Having denied all along that badgers play any part whatsoever in the spread of bovine Tb, (see Throwing Her Teddies - on this site) CEO of the NFBG Dr. Elaine King, comments:

"This trial suggests that badger culling only reduces Tb in cattle if every single badger is exterminated"

She continues;

"It is impossible to determine the actual reduction in cattle Tb that has been acheived in Ireland by badger culling"

and concludes:

"It is vital that Defra focuses it's energy on controlling movement of infected livestock, and removing infected cattle by implementing the more accurate gamma interferon test."

Do we see a slight contradiction here?
"Only reduces cattle Tb if every single badger is exterminated?"
So it does work then? And if badgers suffering from and spreading Tb are removed in a meaningful way, then cattle Tb - just disappears.

"Impossible to see the actual reduction" (in cattle Tb)
Eeerr no. The paper quotes a figure of " by 60 - 96 percent."
Elaine must have missed that bit.

And finally the lovely Elaine implores Defra to "focus its energy on the controlling the movement of infected livestock". With that we would concur, but only if her beloved badgers are part of that loop.

As we said, a strange response. Weak, contradictory and selective.
Hoist by her own petard even?



4 comments:

Anonymous said...

Hello every one, well now we have TB spreading into our nations pussy cats! Two in fact in Cornwall, perhaps the dear Elaine can explain that, or is it like most things that these so called experts know all about. Look at the BSE fiasco, Dr Lacy predicting thousands even millians of people dying of New V.C.J.D.? When in fact they killed cows before they had the proof! We have the proof with TB but are ignored!!Well, lets all wait untill our children catch it from their pets via contact with Mr Infected Badger then perhaps these so called clever clogs will be held responsible!! Badger fanatics should start thinking, get that 'do good to Gods creatures'right, not protect to the detriment of human health.

Matthew said...

Exactly
See The Cat's out of the Bag (archived on this site) for more details of very 4 very dead cats on a smallholding in Cornwall. This after a badger in the last stages of tuberculosis (why do 'they' call it BOVINE Tb) shared their feed bowls and then expired in their paddock. No 'bovines' there, just cats and ponies.

If all the cattle were 'set aside' in the areas of highest Tb, the 'spill over' from the stripies who stayed around and didn't follow the cattle, would inevitably infect anything and everything else that was susceptible. Including us.

Anonymous said...

HEEEELLLOOO OUT THERE, does any one else have thoughts on TB and its threat? or is this just a site for Mathews comments! Does any one else read this, or are all burying their heads in Badgers poo!

Matthew said...

There are 6 'Matthews' editing this site and posting info on all aspects of Tb. (see archives for our CVs) Richard scanned in all the Parliamentary questions and their Answers - for which we must thank the delightful Mr. Bradshaw -and he does several posts as well.
All our 'Matthews' are farmers and very aware of spiteful retribution. 3 of our editors were directly involved in Krebs trials, and have hands-on experience of cut fences, leading to free range cattle, and chopped up traps thrown - where they would do most damage: into hedges, growing corn crops and silage grass.
M. 5 is answering you this time. Are farmers sleepwalking into a trade ban? Are they short term price takers - happy to collect the cash now and bugger tomorrow? Do they care?
Only they can answer that.