tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6885842.post113955720406545391..comments2023-07-15T10:28:46.810+01:00Comments on Bovine TB: We are puzzled.Richardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02561483930556493363noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6885842.post-1139734902971667952006-02-12T09:01:00.000+00:002006-02-12T09:01:00.000+00:00Thanks George. Yes we agree that a 'targetted' cul...Thanks George. Yes we agree that a 'targetted' cull is the answer both to satisfy the conditions of the Bern convention, and to allay fears of a FMD type wipe out - of badgers. Bourne now seems to be saying yes its badgers, but the spread of tb is now too big and any cull needed will have to be so drastic that financially and politically 'we' can't do it. So concentrate on cattle and keep him in clover a little longer.<BR/><BR/>As you say, simplistic statements only serve to muddy the waters.<BR/><BR/>One contributer to this site has pointed out that in a pro active Krebs area, 'his' 2 year figures<BR/>were pooled by Bourne to give a 27 per cent incidence of tb in postmortemed badgers. In fact the first clearance found 40 out 47 taken were infected / infectious (over 80%) and the second year none of nearly 100. He would have preferred to leave that lot alone.<BR/><BR/>Then at the BCVA conference contradictory statements from Richard Delahay, 1) that badgers do not 'suffer' from Tb but 2) that the disease acts as a population regulator on them !<BR/><BR/>Exactly how both can be the case, (see our photos), I cannot imagine.<BR/><BR/>Can government's 'own people' at the sharp end make submissions? We hope so.<BR/><BR/>Ours is that Defra make use of the RT-PCR machines it has purchased for other animal diseases and get cracking with a 'trial' for tb in the environment, that starts at Lands End, Barnstaple and Brighten, Leek, Dovedale Fishguard and Skegness, moving inwards to Hereford / Worcester. <BR/><BR/>Sheeesh, we've erected an Offa's dyke - forget Wales !Matthewhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09293505337441558637noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6885842.post-1139704857010078982006-02-12T00:40:00.000+00:002006-02-12T00:40:00.000+00:00I understand that years before the Krebs trial it ...I understand that years before the Krebs trial it was well known, from badgers caught in removal operations, that the proportion of infected badgers in a sett could be as high as 100%. Infection was very patchy and nearby setts could be quite a lot lower. If there was a reliable test (like the one used for cattle – which is pretty good) for the badgers it would make life a lot easier. Life is never simple, and this is a exceptionally knotty problem. Simplistic statements (by both sides – and the media) are not particularly helpful. I hope that the Government will listen to any contributions from its own people at the sharp end that are made in the consultation.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com