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ARGUS COMMENT: Badger cull is appalling
11:51am Wednesday 9th April 2008
Comments (20)THE National Assembly has made a huge mistake in bowing to pressure from the farming lobby by setting up a badger cull.
Even though the proposed cull would be limited to one pilot area we are disgusted by the short sightedness and sheer inhumanity of it.
Government tests have proved that there is no substantial evidence that badgers contaminate cattle with Bovine TB. In fact it is thought just as likely that cattle contaminate badgers.
Do not rely on us for evidence but read reports written by both the RSPCA and the Woodland Trust, who have a policy of refusing to allow the slaughter of badgers on their land. Also, 95% of the population are against a badger cull, including local politicians.
The most authoritative scientific research undertaken showed that it was impossible to attribute Bovine TB to badgers. In a ten year research project carried out by the Independent Scientific Group more than 10,000 badgers were slaughtered. It made no difference to control of the disease, but cost the taxpayer £34m.
At the end of the project a report recommended that the disease was best contained by cattle-control measures alone.
So why is the Assembly administration determined to plough its own furrow and reinvent the wheel?
In a pathetic statement rural affairs minister Elin Jones said: "This is a difficult decision and it has not been taken lightly. I am very aware of the strong views on this issue."
Not aware enough, Ms Jones! The only people you appear to be listening to are farmers' union spokesmen.
Goodness knows how many badgers, which many consider to be the treasures of our countryside, are going to die to prove what has already been proven to the satisfaction of the British government.
This is an awful decision and we hope there will be a massive public backlash which will, hopefully, persuade the cabinet in Cardiff Bay to change its mind.
Your Say YourSouth Wales Argus
Mr Bump., Newport West says...
1:03pm Wed 9 Apr 08
janusoliver, Monmouth says...
1:18pm Wed 9 Apr 08
disappointed, Newport says...
1:50pm Wed 9 Apr 08
Joe Mc, Newport says...
1:56pm Wed 9 Apr 08
fireman, cwmbran says...
3:45pm Wed 9 Apr 08
solution - cull the cattle
Oddjob, Monmouthshire says...
4:15pm Wed 9 Apr 08
disappointed wrote:The whole of the assembly will be having a sports day outing, where they will be able to hone their twelve bore shooting skills, ably lead by Rhodri "Two gun" Morgan. Nothing like putting your money (8% rise) where your mouth is.
The thought that these beautiful animals are out there somewhere, to be slaughtered in their masses makes me sick to the stomach. I appreciate the pressures on our farmers these days but surely there is a better way to deal with this situation. What a dreadful and barbaric situation. Have the assembly advised how these innocent animals are to be culled??
Mr Bump., Newport West says...
4:56pm Wed 9 Apr 08
blueskycowboy, Newport says...
5:05pm Wed 9 Apr 08
DG, Newport says...
5:26pm Wed 9 Apr 08
Branman, Cwmbran says...
7:42pm Wed 9 Apr 08
wolvesfan, Cwmbran says...
9:29pm Wed 9 Apr 08
There are too many farmers on the welsh assembly govt they make it too easy for farmers to get subsidies for Tb etc.
It's jobs for the boyos I am afraid and the Welsh Assembly, ignoring the scientific facts makes Wales look like a third world country- if it moves kill it.
Shame they aren't so strict with farmers who are cruel to their livestock.
John, says...
8:49am Thu 10 Apr 08
janusoliver wrote:I know nothing about this subject. However,listening to a debate on the matter,it is not certain that culling badgers will make any difference to the problem.
Not biased then! Farmers now farm with no subsidies, rising costs, lots of red tape and paperwork to ensure good traceability of movements, rigorous TB testing, have the highest welfare practices of stock in the world, but its all their fault. Badger population is going out of control!
John, says...
8:51am Thu 10 Apr 08
John wrote:Where is the evidence for this?
janusoliver wrote: Not biased then! Farmers now farm with no subsidies, rising costs, lots of red tape and paperwork to ensure good traceability of movements, rigorous TB testing, have the highest welfare practices of stock in the world, but its all their fault. Badger population is going out of control!I know nothing about this subject. However,listening to a debate on the matter,it is not certain that culling badgers will make any difference to the problem.
Apparently, it is the cattle themselves that spread the disease, not the badgers.
John, says...
8:54am Thu 10 Apr 08
wolvesfan wrote:Same old story I am afraid.
Lets see if the argus can find out how each AM voted on this to route them out at the next elections. There are too many farmers on the welsh assembly govt they make it too easy for farmers to get subsidies for Tb etc. It's jobs for the boyos I am afraid and the Welsh Assembly, ignoring the scientific facts makes Wales look like a third world country- if it moves kill it. Shame they aren't so strict with farmers who are cruel to their livestock.
Farmers made millions out of the foot and mouth outbreak. Far more than they would have made if the animals had not contracted the disease.
Compensation from taxpayers actually benefited the farming community substantially.
janusoliver, Monmouth says...
11:15am Thu 10 Apr 08
Simon, Newport says...
11:02pm Thu 10 Apr 08
Note that you can carry a disease without showing symptoms, all you need to do is carry sufficient number of a virus/bacteria to transmit it, be it internally or externally...
The problem is proving or disproving the theory... People say a test cull is the answer. Well the community would swing the result to show what they want to show anyhow... If the problem didn't stop, there wouldn't have been sufficient badgers killed. If the problem did, it might have done anyway. The problem is that they cannot test all possible circumstances, and diseases are not predictable...
In my view a cull is not truly warranted. How much environmental damage can one do in the name of farming??? Faecal Colliform in the rivers, nitrogen based fertilizers and urea from cow's pee in the streams and ponds causing eutrophication, badgers dead for TB, swans and ducks dead for Bird Flu, not to mention the plethora of hormones (including Oestrogen) in animal feed... All this from our poor mistreated, undervalued farmers... If any company had tried to do this, there'd have been an outcry, but because its farmers its ok...
This isn't farming, this is factory production lines in our open countryside... Farmers used to be environmentally conscious and try to work with the landscape and its animals, not against... Farmers need to move on and become compatable with our environmentally conscious 21st century selves... And so too, it would seem, do the Welsh Assembly Government... This sudden return to "grassroots" politics is alarming at best... Rhodri and his cronies need to wake up and move us forward not backward to a 19th century cure... next we'll have leaches in hospitals...
janusoliver, Monmouth says...
9:46am Fri 11 Apr 08
Since the introduction of Nitrate Vunerable Zones 10 years ago, the nitrates and colliforms in freshwater rivers and streams has dropped significantly and is continuing to to do so. Environment schemes have been introduced, a high percentage of farmers are in the Tir Cynnal scheme and more are applying to the Tir Gofal as well as the statutory legal requirements of the cross compliance schemes that go with the Single Farm Payment.
There needs to be a balance of wildlife. Badgers although protected are no longer at risk, the population is booming and if there is no control disease will spread. A controlled cull needs to be done. Farmers are blamed for the introduction of disease, loss of hedgerow birds, loss of environment through high intensification. But out of control wildlife is also to blame, a badger will take a whole nest of eggs from a hedgerow bird.
On the other hand, a more accurate TB vaccine must be found, the existing one is not so. We should be vaccinating against bluetonge. Why did we wait for it to get here? It wasn't rocket science to figure out we would get it, why were we not vaccinating 12 months ago?
Farmers are fed up with being blamed for everything and thanks to the supermarkets not getting any financial gain.
As far as TB goes we are all fighting for the same thing, healthy badgers and healthy stock.
janusoliver, Monmouth says...
9:46am Fri 11 Apr 08
Since the introduction of Nitrate Vunerable Zones 10 years ago, the nitrates and colliforms in freshwater rivers and streams has dropped significantly and is continuing to to do so. Environment schemes have been introduced, a high percentage of farmers are in the Tir Cynnal scheme and more are applying to the Tir Gofal as well as the statutory legal requirements of the cross compliance schemes that go with the Single Farm Payment.
There needs to be a balance of wildlife. Badgers although protected are no longer at risk, the population is booming and if there is no control disease will spread. A controlled cull needs to be done. Farmers are blamed for the introduction of disease, loss of hedgerow birds, loss of environment through high intensification. But out of control wildlife is also to blame, a badger will take a whole nest of eggs from a hedgerow bird.
On the other hand, a more accurate TB vaccine must be found, the existing one is not so. We should be vaccinating against bluetonge. Why did we wait for it to get here? It wasn't rocket science to figure out we would get it, why were we not vaccinating 12 months ago?
Farmers are fed up with being blamed for everything and thanks to the supermarkets not getting any financial gain.
As far as TB goes we are all fighting for the same thing, healthy badgers and healthy stock.
Springer5, South Wales says...
12:35pm Sat 12 Apr 08
You and many other farmers may well follow all the guidelines and farm as responsibly as you can. However, there are plenty who don't. And that's not just made up twaddle. I have first-hand experience of witnessing appalling farming practices in South Wales; right where one of the 'hotspots' is, because I live amongst it, unfortunately.
How about.....
Caracasses of dead animals left to be dragged around by the wildlife for several days before being cleared up, fences in such a bad state of repair that livestock is frequently found wandering the roads (transmitting all sorts everywhere while they're at it ??) - I have had cowes in my back garden on a nimber of occasions- slurry spread all over nearby roads because they're in too much of a hurry to slow down and direct the stuff more carefully on to the fields (probably in a rush to get back to Emmerdale).
I have seen these things with my own eyes and it cannot be denied.
No matter what you say, it does happen, and it only takes a few to do it before there is potential for these farms themselves to harbour the diseases that the poor old badger is innocently spreading around purely by going about its natural business. Just as with human TB, animals/humans moving around may carry the disease from one place to another, but it's squalid conditions that provide the breeding ground, and there are plenty of squalid farms in this part of wales.
Whether you like ot or not, Simon is right. And as for those who go on about there being too many... let's take a look at who's talking here....6 billios humans and we're complaining that a feww hundred thousand badger is too many...please !!
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padge, says...
12:40pm Wed 9 Apr 08