Defra's Christmas priorities

Another year has stuttered by. The badger culls have had a deal of success, but bubbles of infection still haunt our cattle herds as stragglers, escaping from a patchy 70 per cull, on 70 per cent of available land, wander about. Sometimes finding an unoccupied and still highly infectious sett.

Our PQs answers suggested that m.bovis can survive for up to 2 years in the dark, humid conditions of a badger sett.  They were not wrong.

 Meanwhile, our Chief Veterinary Officer is launching Christmas consultation on the micro chipping of - cats.

 One would have thought that the eradication of a Grade 3 zoonosis would have been a priority? But no. Cats it is, so they don't get lost. 

Cat's lives matter - all nine of them - even if those of our cattle do not. 

 So as another 'plague' spreads across our country, and our 'world beating' scientists fall over each other's shoe laces not controlling it, we wish you a safe and happy Christmas and healthy new year.