Bovine TB - Cull or Cure

Mike · 15-06-2009, 11:46 AM

I watched a great piece on Countryfile this weekend which talked about bovine TB and what can/is being done.

The options at the moment seem to be Cull (like in Wales) or Cure(like in England). Opinion seems to be divided on this as to whether culling actually helps or not, and whether vaccinating is a viable solution.

Im torn myself, I hate the idea of a badger cull but its very easy to oppose such a thing from my sofa...

What are peoples thoughts on this?

Andy · 15-06-2009, 02:17 PM

I didnt see the program, but I am all for the vaccination as I beleive im right in saying that the cull actually increased the cases when it was trialled in the Republic of Ireland (I think thats where it was).

It's a tough call when you have to deal with the cattle that catch it and compensation to the farmers. Its not as open and shut as some people think!

coco · 27-06-2009, 08:47 AM

I dont understand why the EU issue guidelines in 2006 in favour of removing TB-infected wildlife as part of bovine TB eradication.

Also how have New Zealand virtually eradicated TB when their problem was as bad as ours 10 years ago?

Green Beginnings · 27-06-2009, 09:44 PM

Not having seen the programme you must forgive me if I start talking rubbish but I don't see how culling Badgers can completely iradicate the spread of this illness. Surely it will find an alternative vector instead.
As for vaccination, well that is entering our food chain and then into ourselves is it not? Concerned? Always.

oddity667 · 06-07-2009, 01:13 PM

The TB vaccination would be entering our food chain, but being as the vast majority of us have been vaccinated, I doubt very much if it would have any effect on us.
The culling of Badgers has been shown not to work on a large scale, but when the farmer see's a badger on his land, shooting that one does protect that farmers herd.
Being as the culling doesn't work, vaccination seems like the only way forward. The cattle have plenty of other drugs forced down them, ones that the vet gives, so they can still be called organic, so a few more won't hurt.

OfOneEarth · 14-07-2009, 11:25 AM

The Kiwis solved their TB problem by using rigorous pre-emptive testing and culling of their cattle herds and shooting a massive proportion of their possum population, which were acting as a vector.

Recent estimates have put the badger population in the UK at ten times its 1960 level. You can't tell me that such a drastic shift in populations cannot have adverse effects on the environment and other species, as well as the badgers themselves. Make no mistake, badgers suffer horribly from TB. It takes months to die, during which time they expel thousands of TB microbes and infect their own kind.

15-06-2009, 11:46 AM	#1 (permalink)
Mike Big Boss Man! Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Swindon Posts: 774 Thanks: 73 Thanked 30 Times in 26 Posts	Bovine TB - Cull or Cure I watched a great piece on Countryfile this weekend which talked about bovine TB and what can/is being done. The options at the moment seem to be Cull (like in Wales) or Cure(like in England). Opinion seems to be divided on this as to whether culling actually helps or not, and whether vaccinating is a viable solution. Im torn myself, I hate the idea of a badger cull but its very easy to oppose such a thing from my sofa... What are peoples thoughts on this? __________________ Cheers Mike Do your bit, invite your friends here! Follow us on Twitter - Organiclinker Have you tried our: Veggie Trumps \| Food Miles Calculator \| Egg Tracker \| Book Store ...no? why not?

27-06-2009, 09:44 PM	#4 (permalink)
Green Beginnings Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Oh I do love to be beside the seaside, oh I do love to be beside the sea........ Posts: 286 Thanks: 6 Thanked 15 Times in 13 Posts	Not having seen the programme you must forgive me if I start talking rubbish but I don't see how culling Badgers can completely iradicate the spread of this illness. Surely it will find an alternative vector instead. As for vaccination, well that is entering our food chain and then into ourselves is it not? Concerned? Always. __________________ Organic, natural and eco-friendly products for baby, family and home. For all your organic needs including aluminium free deodorants, organic shampoo & conditioner :thumbup: Primary School Garden Blog

14-07-2009, 11:25 AM	#6 (permalink)
OfOneEarth Member Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: South of the M4 Posts: 65 Thanks: 0 Thanked 3 Times in 3 Posts	The Kiwis solved their TB problem by using rigorous pre-emptive testing and culling of their cattle herds and shooting a massive proportion of their possum population, which were acting as a vector. Recent estimates have put the badger population in the UK at ten times its 1960 level. You can't tell me that such a drastic shift in populations cannot have adverse effects on the environment and other species, as well as the badgers themselves. Make no mistake, badgers suffer horribly from TB. It takes months to die, during which time they expel thousands of TB microbes and infect their own kind. __________________ 'The act of putting into your mouth what the earth has grown is perhaps your most direct interaction with the earth'

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15-06-2009, 02:17 PM	#2 (permalink)
Andy Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2006 Posts: 235 Thanks: 23 Thanked 7 Times in 7 Posts	I didnt see the program, but I am all for the vaccination as I beleive im right in saying that the cull actually increased the cases when it was trialled in the Republic of Ireland (I think thats where it was). It's a tough call when you have to deal with the cattle that catch it and compensation to the farmers. Its not as open and shut as some people think!

27-06-2009, 08:47 AM	#3 (permalink)
coco Junior Member Join Date: Jun 2009 Posts: 1 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	I dont understand why the EU issue guidelines in 2006 in favour of removing TB-infected wildlife as part of bovine TB eradication. Also how have New Zealand virtually eradicated TB when their problem was as bad as ours 10 years ago?

06-07-2009, 01:13 PM	#5 (permalink)
oddity667 Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: West Yorks Posts: 41 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	The TB vaccination would be entering our food chain, but being as the vast majority of us have been vaccinated, I doubt very much if it would have any effect on us. The culling of Badgers has been shown not to work on a large scale, but when the farmer see's a badger on his land, shooting that one does protect that farmers herd. Being as the culling doesn't work, vaccination seems like the only way forward. The cattle have plenty of other drugs forced down them, ones that the vet gives, so they can still be called organic, so a few more won't hurt.