Badger Culling plans for England

Thanks for the link Jef - all signed up.

Sooty - I sympathise with the plight of the farmers and think (like you) that something should be done, one that helps badgers AND farmers, maybe something like you have suggested. However I don't think this cheapskate government will do the right thing, they will settle for the cheapest regardless of evidence to the contrary. The sort of cull they are suggesting will decimate the badger population without helping the farmers either (except in the very short term).

Hi Craig

I don't think that killings these wonderful animals will be the answer because no real trials have been done to see if this is the real reason for the spread of TB. If it is, why do we not look at other ways of dealing with the problem.

It's no good just saying to farmers it's only one or heads of cattle as it shuts his whole farm down until it has been cleared. This leads to all of their hate being targeted at the badgers.

The only way forward is for everyone that this effects to work together to resolve the problem.

No one person or group has all the answers....

Robert

Thanks to those who signed. I have to admit I am against a cull as currently proposed by the government.

Sooty, I do try and appreciate the problem from the farmers point of view so thanks for your interesting post. It must be heartbreaking and frustrating to lose your animals in such a way.

Very disappointing to read about the RSPCA's lack of concern regarding the badger setts.. It just shows that we must retain a healthy scepticism when dealing with all large organisations, no matter how worthwhile their overall aims.

Unknown said:

Thanks to those who signed. I have to admit I am against a cull as currently proposed by the government.

Sooty, I do try and appreciate the problem from the farmers point of view so thanks for your interesting post. It must be heartbreaking and frustrating to lose your animals in such a way.

Very disappointing to read about the RSPCA's lack of concern regarding the badger setts.. It just shows that we must retain a healthy scepticism when dealing with all large organisations, no matter how worthwhile their overall aims.

Understand very well everyone's concerns as we like Badgers probably as much as anyone and we were very lucky to have perfectly clear Badgers of that I am sure.Vaccination seems 5 years away and that usually means that it is further away than that.It seems to be getting to the stage where some farmers believe that if no cull is allowed they just cannot keep cattle.

Feel sure if it was possible almost all farmers would rather solve it with vaccination rather than a cull,after all I doubt it is very difficult if one wanted to to take the law into ones own hands and cull anyway which to my knowledge has never happened,most Setts away from public view and no one would know anything about it.Under the circumstances I  find that quite commendable.After all pigeon fanciers with much less to lose certainly cause massive problems for Peregrine falcons doing all sorts of things to nests and adults.     

Surely Badger faeces within an area  could be tested for TB.  Expensive I am sure, but would surely help to find the areas which are TB infected rather than to cull all badgers.

Normal 0

Hiya Folks,

In 2006, the RSPB responded to Defra’s consultation on whether culling badgers is the answer to controlling bovine tuberculosis in cattle in England. The RSPB does not believe that culling badgers is the answer to controlling bovine tuberculosis and efforts should be focused on measures that address the infection. The RSPB has no confidence that adaptive management of the badger population can be achieved. A conservation impact cannot be ruled out and knock on effects for the other species and habitats are likely to occur.

 In addition, we recognise the importance of reducing the risk of cattle to badger or badger to cattle transmission. It is therefore important that up to date biosecurity advice on measures to reduce such contact (e.g. on the management of feed stores) is properly disseminated and fully implemented. In the medium term, the best option for eradicating the infection is the development of vaccines for badgers and cattle against this disease. We therefore welcome the additional resources that the Government has committed for vaccine development and the announcement on an injectable badger vaccine.

In Wales, Elin Jones AM, Minister for Rural Affairs, announced in March that a cull would take place within an Intensive Action Pilot Area in north Pembrokeshire. This formed part of an overall bovine TB eradication programme that includes rigorous testing and increased biosecurity measures. The RSPB remains opposed to any cull for the reasons given above. The Court of Appeal recently found that a nine percent reduction would not be sufficiently “substantial” under the Animal Health Act to justify killing wildlife, but the Badger Trust (the only charity solely dedicated to the conservation of badgers throughout the UK.) emphasises that the court did not establish a threshold for an expected “substantial reduction” in disease as would be required under the Animal Health Act. In any case, the diminishing level of bTB over the last two and a half years with no badgers killed confirms the pointlessness of culling.

Kind Regards


Tom

Well Tom do not understand how the RSPB thinks itself a expert on another subject nothing to do with birds.You seem wrong about a cull not working as if you use boundaries like rivers and cull within that area there is no outward infective Badgers to spread  T B.Of course half hearted measures of culls in the past have not worked but always serious ones have worked.Where you talk about keeping Badgers away from feed stuff if you had any farm knowledge you would know that is impossible. 

Before anyone goes against a Badger cull they need to do a bit of research the longer this is messed about with more and more Badgers are being infected and I will give you some figures to show the mess that has been allowed to happen with farmers and Badgers both suffering severely.In 1981 this disease was almost eradicated and in my opinion with a few small culls animals and Badgers would have been clear,of course it may have taken a year or two to mop up the last ones.In that year there were just 569 cases in the whole country so obviously at that time the infection in Badgers was small.

Last year 25,000 cattle were slaughtered,that must be nearly a 50 fold increase and I feel sure that means a 50 fold increase in infected Badgers.In the south west 1 in 7 herds infected and I doubt you have any idea of the trauma suffered by farmers with slaughtered herds and yet when one bird is poisoned the RSPB kicks up a fuss which I understand but you seem to think slaughter of a farmers animal as nothing.

How you think yourself and other well meaning people who do not know the facts are helping Badgers when as i have pointed out there has been 50 fold increase almost certain in Badgers i cannot understand.I can understand the public's view because they almost certainly have no access to the facts but for the RSPB to come on here where they are out of there depth as Badgers do not have feathers is plainly irresponsible and very damaging to both farmers and Badgers.    

I completely agree, and  have heard that in some areas this is the case. I worry that if this becomes legislation , that it will open the doors to complete wipe outs in some areas. How do you police this ? if it goes through then Farmers are to take a measured approach to the cull but how do you measure measured ?? one farmers opinion will differ from another's It will be a licence to eradicate and maybe some will take this quite literally. 

Vaccination has to be the only way forward. We are after all the aliens in their territory and not the other way around.. I left Politics because of a lack of real concern from the people I worked for; this new government is no different. and i'm more disillusioned than I ever was before. Have signed the petition.;

Unknown said:

I completely agree, and  have heard that in some areas this is the case. I worry that if this becomes legislation , that it will open the doors to complete wipe outs in some areas. How do you police this ? if it goes through then Farmers are to take a measured approach to the cull but how do you measure measured ?? one farmers opinion will differ from another's It will be a licence to eradicate and maybe some will take this quite literally. 

Vaccination has to be the only way forward. We are after all the aliens in their territory and not the other way around.. I left Politics because of a lack of real concern from the people I worked for; this new government is no different. and i'm more disillusioned than I ever was before. Have signed the petition.;

Sadly Lynettemj the government has cut the money to vaccination research so from being 5 years away now probably 10 years.Doing nothing means more Badgers  as well as cattle will suffer.