Badger cull suspended

[paulthefish2009]

Good news me thinks..................anyone? Paul

[butchthedog]

I'm with you there Paul..
Dave

[f0rm4t]

To be honest, I don't know enough of the grass root facts on this to have a confident opinion. :ashamed:

...but if they've suspended it, I'd say neither do they, so by default, it must be the correct choice to suspend it.

[biker-bri]

I have a friend who is a vet, He told me a few years ago that there was "NO evidence of badgers directly contaminating cattle, in fact bovine TB is a totally different strain to that found in badgers"
whether there is any stronger evidence today is doubtful, all independent surveys say either no crossover or very little chance, only the government surveys say there is a danger!
I am always dubious about government surveys without independent backup
Cheers Bri

[KaiTheIronHound]

All i can say is poor badgers. If the government wants to do something, they'll do it no matter weather they have direct and scientifically sound evidence or not. Better to be seen doing something, even if its bogus, than doing nothing at all. This is all assuming that the British government operates on the same knee-jerk reactions that the Aussie government does.

[fish]

well theres two choices,kill most of the cows or kill most of the badgers,so as i use cows milk and not badgers the badgers go.its a destructive ,vicious and diseased animal that is nothing like the cuddley badger of farthing wood and wind in the willows.

[paulthefish2009]

Still part of our wonderfull countryside though Fish.

[AL...]

They tast good to!!! ............................... so Ive heard !!


Cheers
AL

[Martin]

The number of cattle compulsorily slaughtered as reactors or direct contacts was 21,512 in January to July 2012, compared to 20,514 in January to July 2011.

Quite a few and they really are part of our wonderful countryside.

Martin

Source: http://www.defra.gov.uk/statistics/foodfarm/landuselivestock/cattletb/national/

[f0rm4t]

well theres two choices,kill most of the cows or kill most of the badgers,so as i use cows milk and not badgers the badgers go.its a destructive ,vicious and diseased animal that is nothing like the cuddley badger of farthing wood and wind in the willows.

I can see this being a thread with real opinions! Brilliant! :D
I look forward to reading them from both sides of the fence, as I know little on this, but do want to understand all perspectives.

[fish]

The number of cattle compulsorily slaughtered as reactors or direct contacts was 21,512 in January to July 2012, compared to 20,514 in January to July 2011.

Quite a few and they really are part of our wonderful countryside.

Martin

Source: http://www.defra.gov.uk/statistics/foodfarm/landuselivestock/cattletb/national/

makes me mad the animal 'welfare' groups bleating on about the poor badgers,they never mention the 21,000 cows that are killed.

[Thumbcrusher]

Cant they just inoculate the cattle? Or the badgers for that matter?

[Martin]

makes me mad the animal 'welfare' groups bleating on about the poor badgers,they never mention the 21,000 cows that are killed.

And, that's just in six months...


Cant they just inoculate the cattle? Or the badgers for that matter?

No, they can't do that. You can't inoculate every wild badger. They don't know how many there are and they won't know if you've caught them all. They can't inoculate the cattle as it would make it impossible to tell the difference between an infected beast and an inoculated one.

Martin

[paulthefish2009]

Surely if you inoculated every cow you wouldn't have any infected beasts? looks like I've started something here :ashamed: lets keep it friendly gents. I for one feel there has not been enough research done (yet) and was quite pleased it's been put on hold. Paul

[biker-bri]

Surely if you inoculated every cow you wouldn't have any infected beasts? looks like I've started something here :ashamed: lets keep it friendly gents. I for one feel there has not been enough research done (yet) and was quite pleased it's been put on hold. Paul

+1 for me,
The cost per night of the cull is more than the average loss per farm herd which means we the taxpayer will pay heavily for the cull while still paying for further outbreaks
I believe (and please correct me if I am wrong ) that if one beast is found to have TB then the whole herd is put down? which follows the rules for foot and mouth, the only reason that they would do this with TB is because they will not pay
for simple test.
Another point to consider is that a bovine TB vaccine is already being developed here in the UK anyway and it has already been established that it will be cheaper to vaccinate than to cull the badgers!
IF there were solid proof that badgers and only badgers were to blame then I would say nothing BUT a recent ( within 5 years ) case in the welsh borders proved that a farmer knowingly introduced an infected animal
into his herd so he could claim compensation. Says it all

[biker-bri]

well theres two choices,kill most of the cows or kill most of the badgers,so as i use cows milk and not badgers the badgers go.its a destructive ,vicious and diseased animal that is nothing like the cuddley badger of farthing wood and wind in the willows.

Sorry fish I honestly don't mean to upset anyone but to describe an animal as "destructive ,vicious and diseased" is unfair after all those three words are more commonly used to
describe human beings. J.S springs to mind as does a certain G.G
Cheers Bri

[Roadkillphil]

The thing is, if the science behind badgers being the main contributer to the spread of TB is true and the country calls to arms against them, unless you eradicate the badger from the face of the British isles, I'm not understanding how a cull is a complete solution. Leaving pockets of badgers here n there will still mean that they'll be able to spread TB (if indeed the science is correct). To make any species extinct in our fair islands is a heinous crime, to do so as part of an unfounded witch hunt is even worse. I personally do not support the cull as the science behind the "threat" has many holes in it and it appears that DEFRA are using the Badger Cull as a means to pacify British farmers as they demand a solution to this problem.

Over the 100,000 years since Homo Sapien migrated from Africa we have arrogantly bulldozed our way around the globe, destroying "pests" and "Threats" along the way. With the onset of agriculture we have destroyed species more efficiently and with more self rightous justification as we build our better world. In British history we wiped Boar from the face of the isles because of their interference with the grand plan of agriculture.

I'm not at home with any wholesale destruction of life as a result of our activities and yes, the badger is a stinky wee destructive little monkey, but It would be sad to see them gone and even sadder that their deaths were just to throw British farmers a bone, a means to vent there anxiety over the loss of their livestock so that it appears that the government are "sorting the problem"

I've never eaten badger, but I've heard it tastes like cat sick. Tis off the roadkill menu for me :shocked:

[JonnyP]

A badger cull will not stop TB from spreading, and for more than one reason..
Badgers are territorial creatures and have their own patch. If badgers are removed from a certain area, other badgers outside that area are then free to move in to an undefended new patch, bringing in TB as well as other possible diseases that were being kept out by the original badgers.
Badgers also form an important part of the eco system in the countryside. They have been around for eons, so what will happen if they go..?
Also, badgers are not the only animals that can transmit TB. Deer also carry it. Gonna kill all them too are we. There numbers are soaring as it is, despite many being shot and killed on our roads..
I am very much against the cull. Its just man thinking they know best again, when they do not know what will happen..
If TB is such a problem to farmers, why are farmers themselves not doing much to keep badgers away from their cattle..? I have worked on many farms around this area, and we have cattle on the farm here, but all the gates to the fields are completely open to badgers from what I have seen.. Farmers these days do not want to get off their tractors or quad bikes and do any manual work, like they used to. Years ago farmers would know where the badger setts were and they would know the badgers runs, latrines and everything, but I bet many farmers do not know all this now.
A simple and inexpensive low level electric wire would help keep badgers away from herds of cattle, so why are farmers not trying to protect their cattle more..? Personally I reckon its because they get so much in handouts after they have to destroy the TB infected cattle. Where is the incentive..?

[jus_young]

A badger cull will not stop TB from spreading, and for more than one reason..
Badgers are territorial creatures and have their own patch. If badgers are removed from a certain area, other badgers outside that area are then free to move in to an undefended new patch, bringing in TB as well as other possible diseases that were being kept out by the original badgers.
Badgers also form an important part of the eco system in the countryside. They have been around for eons, so what will happen if they go..?
Also, badgers are not the only animals that can transmit TB. Deer also carry it. Gonna kill all them too are we. There numbers are soaring as it is, despite many being shot and killed on our roads..
I am very much against the cull. Its just man thinking they know best again, when they do not know what will happen..
If TB is such a problem to farmers, why are farmers themselves not doing much to keep badgers away from their cattle..? I have worked on many farms around this area, and we have cattle on the farm here, but all the gates to the fields are completely open to badgers from what I have seen.. Farmers these days do not want to get off their tractors or quad bikes and do any manual work, like they used to. Years ago farmers would know where the badger setts were and they would know the badgers runs, latrines and everything, but I bet many farmers do not know all this now.
A simple and inexpensive low level electric wire would help keep badgers away from herds of cattle, so why are farmers not trying to protect their cattle more..? Personally I reckon its because they get so much in handouts after they have to destroy the TB infected cattle. Where is the incentive..?

T^

I also work on many farms round the South West and most farmers I speak to don't want the badgers messed with. A fair portion of these farms either have or have had issues with TB but openly admit that the badgers are not solely to blame. Other wildlife will carry TB onto the land and the movements cannot be stopped but at least with the badgers they do have, they know the problems they need to work with.

I also know a few farms where TB has not been a significant problem yet culls were planned in the area. They were dreading it as they knew that the doors would be left open for new badgers to come in, possibly creating one hell of a problem for them.

[paulthefish2009]

Nice well thought out words from phil.jonny and jus,my thoughts exactly,cheers lads. Paul

[fish]

Sorry fish I honestly don't mean to upset anyone but to describe an animal as "destructive ,vicious and diseased" is unfair a
Cheers Bri

destructive: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/02/28/grave-robbing-badgers-dig-up-british-cemetery_n_1308190.html
http://www.dorsetecho.co.uk/news/8282519.Badgers_disturb_graves_at_Dorchester_cemet ery/

vicious: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/hereford/worcs/3023369.stm

diseased: just google it!

[Roadkillphil]

destructive: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/02/28/grave-robbing-badgers-dig-up-british-cemetery_n_1308190.html
http://www.dorsetecho.co.uk/news/8282519.Badgers_disturb_graves_at_Dorchester_cemet ery/

vicious: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/hereford/worcs/3023369.stm

diseased: just google it!

Ok let's put this in perspective... I invite anyone who can be bothered to read this article, start to finish, http://www.actionbioscience.org/newfrontiers/eldredge2.html and take on board the stark truth of who and what is more destructive, vicious and indeed a disease in its own right.

I find it hard to condemn a species because it hurt 5 people, probably in self defence, because they knock a few bins over and because they carry diseases... Errrr not an animal on the planet doesn't carry diseases

Remember a few months back how the game bird population was in "serious threat" because of buzzards?? This is what the badger/buzzard debate seems to come down to....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zrzMhU_4m-g

[biker-bri]

destructive: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/02/28/grave-robbing-badgers-dig-up-british-cemetery_n_1308190.html
http://www.dorsetecho.co.uk/news/8282519.Badgers_disturb_graves_at_Dorchester_cemet ery/

vicious: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/hereford/worcs/3023369.stm

diseased: just google it!

Other headlines in the same edition of the Huffington post 1,Brazilian Woman Nets $780,000 For Virginity In Internet Auction. well, at least they didn't print the name of the winner of the auction ;)
2,Amateur Astronomer Captures Clear VIDEO Of Cylindrical UFO. probably the winner of the auction being booted into orbit by his wife :happy-clapping:
3,Kidnapping Leaves Man With Severed Penis To Die In Desert. [I]looks like the Brazilian boy friend got to him as well :jumping-joy: [/I
Just thought I would try to lighten the debate a little.

We all know how destructive ALL wild animals are But do they do it for FUN like yobs do err NO.
I doubt that there is a native wild animal in the UK that would attack without being threatened either knowingly or by accident.
There are more diseases on the cloth that you clean your kitchen with than animals carry.

As a matter of interest the Honey Badger is undergoing tests to see if it can provide an all inclusive antivenom for all of africa,s snake bite victims

As I said before I don't want to upset anyone, cheers Bri

[JonnyP]

destructive: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/02/28/grave-robbing-badgers-dig-up-british-cemetery_n_1308190.html
http://www.dorsetecho.co.uk/news/8282519.Badgers_disturb_graves_at_Dorchester_cemet ery/

vicious: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/hereford/worcs/3023369.stm

diseased: just google it!

You need to go careful. I found this on the web.. "Both the Eurasian badger and the honey badger are known to eat fish from time to time."
I could have a dig around and find where man has been destructive and viscous. I remember reading about someone shooting a shrew for fun with a catapult once..

[biker-bri]

:
You need to go careful. I found this on the web.. "Both the Eurasian badger and the honey badger are known to eat fish from time to time."
I could have a dig around and find where man has been destructive and viscous. I remember reading about someone shooting a shrew for fun with a catapult once..
:jumping-joy:

[Roadkillphil]

Gonna be some interestin convys round the fire this weekend ;)

[AL...]

I remember reading about someone shooting a shrew for fun with a catapult once..


Wasent me!!! :D

Cheers
AL

[f0rm4t]

Gonna be some interestin convys round the fire this weekend ;)

You aint wrong there Phil!

[JonnyP]

Gonna be some interestin convys round the fire this weekend ;)

Lol.. Are you bringing your Badger with you..?

[Roadkillphil]

Yerp! Badgers comin and her lil palace too. :)

[fish]

"Both the Eurasian badger and the honey badger are known to eat fish from time to time."


well i was just saying that badgers are decent chaps ,quite likeable really infact i went to school with some ,fine fellows!!!!!!!lol


I remember reading about someone shooting a shrew for fun with a catapult once..


it was self defence guv i warned the lot of em ,but you know what drunk shrews can be like,so i picked the biggest one ........

[biker-bri]

Bu##r just spilled my tea :happy-clapping:
cheers Bri