Badgers at risk

[Paul Wagland]

Jeannine has just sent me a press release, written by the RSPCA, about the proposal (by a group of MPs) that a badger cull could be useful in some parts of the country afflicted by bovine TB. Don't know how you grapes feel about this, but it seems pretty loopy to me!

The notes at the end of the press release contain the basic facts:

Notes to Editors

1.The Independent Scientific Group on bTB (ISG) was tasked by the UK Government with undertaking specific research on the effects of badger–culling on TB in cattle. The painstaking work took eight years, cost the lives of over 11,000 badgers and cost taxpayers £34 million. The ISG concluded that “badger culling can make no meaningful contribution to cattle TB control in Britain” and said, “Scientific findings indicate that the rising incidence of disease can be reversed, and geographical spread contained, by the rigid application of cattle-based control measures alone."
2.Defra’s public consultation on badger-culling prompted a record 47,472 responses – 95% of which opposed a cull.

If you feel motivated, there's a petition online at RSPCA || Badgers

[Headfry]

I believe that I know of the gentleman who headed up this survey! He told us (he was running a 'nature' course that I attended) that It was not the fault of badgers!
So I say.....NO not a good idea- is it that the government just wants to be seen doing something????? even if it might be the wrong thing.

soap box moment coming up! sorry

[lainey lou]

Thanks for drawing that to our attention Paul, I will be telling every one I know.

[beefy]

Well people I sit on the other side of the fence on this one . On the family farm at home and all our neighbours farms badgers are culled (different laws over here in N.I.). Iv'e see what T.B. can do to healthy cattle and have no problem in culling them. I accept that this may not be pleasant reading for some of you but in the community I am from the opposite view is held . While the scientific community can't make up their minds one way or another about badgers we will go with what works . At home we have not had TB within 5 miles of our farm . So with a herd of 150 cows valued at £1200/ cow and a total investment of over £1.5 million in a farming business would any of the rest of you take the chance? I think not.

[jacob marley]

Well people I sit on the other side of the fence on this one . On the family farm at home and all our neighbours farms badgers are culled (different laws over here in N.I.). Iv'e see what T.B. can do to healthy cattle and have no problem in culling them. I accept that this may not be pleasant reading for some of you but in the community I am from the opposite view is held . While the scientific community can't make up their minds one way or another about badgers we will go with what works . At home we have not had TB within 5 miles of our farm . So with a herd of 150 cows valued at £1200/ cow and a total investment of over £1.5 million in a farming business would any of the rest of you take the chance? I think not.

I am only a simple country yokel but why should some thing that has been on the land for thousands of years be slaughtered for the benefit of domesticated animals that are newcomers to the land 500 years or so Swallows and blackbirds beware jacob

[beefy]

I am only a simple country yokel but why should some thing that has been on the land for thousands of years be slaughtered for the benefit of domesticated animals that are newcomers to the land 500 years or so Swallows and blackbirds beware jacob

Because these animals provide food for a large percentage of the population. If you don't want to have to import all the meat and associated products that the dairy and beef industries produce from overseas you have to make choices . They may not be pleasant ones but they still have to be made.

[smallblueplanet]

.... While the scientific community can't make up their minds one way or another about badgers....

The ISG concluded that “badger culling can make no meaningful contribution to cattle TB control in Britain” and said, “Scientific findings indicate that the rising incidence of disease can be reversed, and geographical spread contained, by the rigid application of cattle-based control measures alone."

The earth still flat in NI then Beefy?

[beefy]

The earth still flat in NI then Beefy?

ISG is one lot SBP you know as well as I do that if I spent 5 mins with google I could produce as much evidence on the other side of the argument .

The earths not flat? Prove it

[smallblueplanet]

ISG is one lot SBP you know as well as I do that if I spent 5 mins with google I could produce as much evidence on the other side of the argument .

The earths not flat? Prove it

I've not fell off it yet!

[beefy]

BBC NEWS | Science/Nature | Science chief urges badger cull
There you go SPB the other side of the arguement.

[smallblueplanet]

BBC NEWS | Science/Nature | Science chief urges badger cull
There you go SPB the other side of the arguement.

"The problem we are up against is everyone has the image of lovely, fluffy badgers galloping about, but cows are also entitled to lives."

Until they decide to eat them!

I think you'll find that 'Science Chief' said

Sir David King says culling could be effective in areas that are contained, for example, by the sea or motorways.

His report follows a previous study that said culling badgers would be ineffective.

The Independent Scientific Group found that targeting one site would only cause badgers to flee to other farms.

A sort of change of arguement.

However the ISG says

Professor John Bourne, author of the ISG report, said Sir David's recommendations were not consistent with the scientific findings of his report but were "consistent with the political need to do something about it".

"If you wish to go down the culling route, you have to do what the Irish are doing in large parts of their country and that is eliminate," he added.

Its a tricky subject, I'll give you. My OH is an archaeologist and has to deal with badgers and the damage they do to the archaeology in the landscape. So I know a bit about badgers too. Oddly enough I might suggest that badgers ought to be 'controlled' in some way as their numbers have increased and they have no natural enemies. But that's another story.

[Protea]

I'm afraid i'm another one 'on the fence'. I come from and still live and work in a farming community and while i don't want to see badgers culled for no reason, i also don't want my beef and dairy products transported miles around the country or shipped in from overseas. At the moment i need to see more evidence on how it would work and which areas are most affected to be able to decide one way or the other.

I think it can be easy to forget that without farming our beautiful countryside wouldn't exist. cows, sheep, arable crops, fruit and veg all make a contribution to our landscape and to the wildife that lives there too. Farmers are essential to the future of our contryside so saying 'cows (or whatever farmed animal/crop) have less of a right to live there than badgers' makes no sense to me.

[jeannine]

I think the point you're missing Beefy is that the RSPCA is referring to the biggest independent scientific investigation held to date. It took 8 years and cost 34 million pounds. Lots of the other evidence is biased, circumstantial or inferior.

[beefy]

Its a tricky subject, I'll give you. My OH is an archaeologist and has to deal with badgers and the damage they do to the archaeology in the landscape. So I know a bit about badgers too. Oddly enough I might suggest that badgers ought to be 'controlled' in some way as their numbers have increased and they have no natural enemies. But that's another story.

So to paraphrase - you support a cull to save a dig but not for a safe supply of healthy food.
OK OK thats maybe a little to simple but as I said there are no easy choices.

[smallblueplanet]

So to paraphrase - you support a cull to save a dig but not for a safe supply of healthy food.
OK OK thats maybe a little to simple but as I said there are no easy choices.

No, I don't believe I said a cull, nor was I suggesting one.

Not a dig. Badgers are a bit like cats in that they like easy digging, so disturbed ground is a fave, they often dig into barrows, tumuli and henges.