Have a look here at the latest RSPB view on the news today regarding the governments announcement on a badger cull.
Warden Intern at Otmoor.
I'm not sure Mike. I've got a feeling there isn't an effective vaccine for cattle. Sooty who I think was a farmer could probably tell us.
I believe there may be a vaccine for badgers but how do you administer it?
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Tony
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For interest there is an article in the Guardian about this and they are currently running a poll about whether a badger cull would be justified, link here.
Unknown said: I believe there may be a vaccine for badgers but how do you administer it?
I think it would be a nightmare to even try miss one badger and it has all gone for nothing
Pssst! Nudge nudge Wanna see some pictures Here
Click on the link and then click on Q and A.
www.badger.org.uk/.../home.asp
Feed The Birds....not the cats!!!!
I know....my spelling's crap !!
I am for vaccination but the fact is that a reliable vaccine not available until 2020 according to experts.
There are all sorts of scientific studies some for some against but the fact is that since culling stopped completely if anyone looks up the number of infected cattle culls it has increased more dramatically than anyone could ever visulise and of course if this increase has happened in cattle then the same increase in B T B has increased in the badger population,remember badgers must transmit it to other badgers even more so than cattle to cattle because of proximity to each other in sett.
No one has ever explained to farmers how it is possible to control cattle movements any better than now as before moving to another farm they have to be tested.
Although I like badgers believe the facts are that we have far too many compared to rest of Europe who have hardly any problems where I guess controls are in place.
RSPB have substantial land ownership on Somerset Levels and if cattle in the area get B T B it would not be right not to vaccinate badgers on there land after farmers there have supported reintroduction of Cranes.
Of course I am not surprised 92% support vaccination but the vaccine according to the scientists that the RSPB always put great faith in when it suits there purpose definitely say the earliest is 2020 and if there guess is anything like past ones on vaccine it will be well after that.
The fact that most badger lovers ignore is we are not doing badgers any favours by doing nothing as more get infected every day.
Unknown said:I might be a bit thick on this (so what else is new) but what is the problem about vaccinating cattle against Tb, is it because it is not practical or as I suspect cheaper to kill off the badgers can someone explain?
As far as I know, Janner, the EU legislation does not permit vaccination of cattle.
Claire
"The road of excess leads to the palace of wisdom" - Wlliam Blake
ClaireM said: As far as I know, Janner, the EU legislation does not permit vaccination of cattle. Claire
Good answer ClaireM that leads me on to my next question --- Why?
Mike
Unknown said:Good answer ClaireM that leads me on to my next question --- Why?
This is a basic answer and I stand to be corrected, but one of the problems is that it would be difficult to detect cattle which have actually contracted TB as both those infected with TB and those which had been vaccinated against TB would both show positive skin tests.
The badger vaccine is available now, if the Government wants to stop badgers from getting infected and really wants to do something positive that would get wide public support it should get behind the badger vaccine, There are too problems with this, one is their desire to cut costs or pass them onto the farmers and the other is political. they scrapped five of the six vaccination trial areas announced by the previous Government. They are not prepared to admit this was a mistake.
They have developed a DIVA test (Distinguishing Infected from Vaccinated Animals or something similar) which can show which have been vaccinated and which have TB. The hold up is in getting sufficient evidence that this and the vaccine will work to convince the EU to change their regulations, and then the length of time it will take to do this. One problem is that Bovine TB is really a problem for the UK (well E, NI and W but not Scotalnd) so it is not a priority for other EU countries to sort out.
If you are concerned about this badger cull why not write to your MP or Defra and urge them to vaccinate badgers and not eradicate them?