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Posted: 28-09-2013 16:27 Post subject:

I'm sure I'm being incredibly stupid here, but if they can vaccinate the badgers against TB. wouldn't be be just as effective, and a lot easier, to just vaccinate the cows Question

Posted: 28-09-2013 16:41 Post subject:

As far as I know, you can't vaccinate an animal that will be consumed by Humans.

Posted: 28-09-2013 17:34 Post subject:

Vaccination also greatly increases the number of false positives oi both the skin test and blood test.

Posted: 28-09-2013 18:53 Post subject:

Posted: 29-09-2013 12:54 Post subject:

I knew it would be some simple thing like that *sighs*

Posted: 29-09-2013 13:35 Post subject:

Do farmers eat badgers?

Posted: 29-09-2013 20:04 Post subject:

Posted: 04-10-2013 23:50 Post subject:

Posted: 08-10-2013 08:09 Post subject:

Badger cull: First pilot in Somerset believed to be over

A six-week cull of badgers in west Somerset is believed to have ended.
The controversial pilot, which has been heavily fought by campaigners, was overseen by Defra in an attempt to stop the spread of TB in cattle.
A similar pilot in west Gloucestershire is thought to still be under way. Marksman in both counties are aiming to kill a total of 5,000 badgers.

Defra has refused to comment on the success of the cull and neither it nor the NFU could confirm it has ended.

Jay Tiernan, spokesman for Stop the Cull, said protesters had "totally destroyed" the pilot.
Every night for six weeks, volunteers held patrols of both cull zones to monitor badger setts and worked to disrupt the marksman from shooting.
Avon and Somerset Police said just three arrests had been made during the six-week period. In Gloucestershire, 18 people were arrested.

Mr Tiernan said the methodology behind the cull "isn't sound".
He added: "There's a group of badgers, you start shooting them and they disperse.
"Secondly the shooters can't get at the badgers to shoot them because we're there."

The government licensed the shooting to test whether culling can be carried out in a safe, humane and effective way.
It will analyse the results from both pilots to decide whether to extend the culling of badgers to other parts of the country.
Supporters say it is the only way to eradicate the spread of TB to livestock.

James Small, the Somerset chairman of the National Farmers' Union, said: "These are only two pilots and just represent a small step in trying to combat this disease, but I think there is a sense, at least, that a step has been taken."

No details on the total number of badgers shot have yet been released despite requests from the BBC for details.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-somerset-24425842

Posted: 09-10-2013 07:37 Post subject:

Badger cull extended as kills fall short of target
By Matt McGrath, Environment correspondent, BBC News

A pilot badger cull in west Somerset may be extended by up to three weeks as marksmen have failed to kill enough badgers to reach their target.
Sources at Defra say that 850 badgers have been shot in the area over the six-week trial, just over 40% of an initial target of 2,081.
But those sources insist the Somerset scheme has proven to be effective.
They say new population data means there are far fewer badgers in the pilot area than originally thought.

The controversial pilot culls set out to study if badgers could be killed safely, effectively and humanely.
It is being carried out in an attempt to control TB in cattle, which can be spread by badgers, though opponents say it will have no impact.
The plan was to kill 70% of the badgers in the areas of west Somerset and Gloucestershire by free shooting.

Across both regions this meant around 5,000 badgers were to be killed in total.
But Defra sources said these targets were based on population estimates from 2012 that have proved to be highly inaccurate.
"We have high confidence that between 2012 and 2013, there has been a decline in the badger population in both areas," said a source.

As the cull started, hundreds of hair traps were set so that DNA could be extracted and analysed to give a more up-to-date assessment of badger numbers.
In west Somerset, the population, which had been estimated at 2,400, has now been revised downwards to 1,450. In Gloucestershire, the numbers have been lowered from 3,400 to 2,350.

There are a number of reasons behind the apparent decline according to Defra, including the impact of last winter's bad weather, disease and lack of food.
As a result, the targets for culling have also been revised downwards to around 2,600 for both areas combined.
To kill 70% of the badgers now estimated to live in west Somerset, the culling company needed to kill 1,015 badgers.
After six weeks of shooting, they achieved 59%, and the company is now seeking an extension of its licence for another two to three weeks.

Peter Kendall, president of the National Farmers' Union, said the number of badgers to be killed had been reduced because it was important not to "wipe out" entire populations.
He told BBC Breakfast the marksmen needed "a few more weeks" to "meet the best criteria that the scientists have set".
"Last year 38,000 cattle were killed and we've got to do something about the spread of this ghastly disease," he added.

Asked why the desired number of badgers had not been killed, especially given the lower total population now estimated, Mr Kendall said these were pilot schemes and those involved are "learning as we go".
He said there had been some "protester activity" and all shooting had been stopped whenever a person has been "spotted in a vicinity", though he said the protesters were not the reason the target number had not been reached.

Defra sources believe that even on the lower figures, the exercise has been effective.
"This level of culling is a significant culling of the badger population and sufficient to achieve cattle disease benefits at the start of a four-year... period," the source said.
There was a "possibility" that the company carrying out the Gloucestershire cull will also seek an extension.

Reports in recent days suggested that the exercise in west Somerset was in trouble, with a Conservative MP admitting it had not worked as well as hoped.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-24443110

It seems to me that the science and the logic behind the cull is severely flawed. It's driven by the emotional response "Something must be done!", regardless of the relevence of whatever's being done.

Posted: 09-10-2013 14:56 Post subject:

Badgers 'moved goalposts' says minister Owen Paterson

A government minster said "badgers moved the goalposts" when asked why marksmen failed to reach a cull target.
A pilot badger cull in west Somerset may be extended by up to three weeks in an effort to make up the shortfall.

Environment Secretary Owen Paterson was asked if he had "moved the goalposts" by claiming the cull was a success.
"The badgers moved the goalposts. We're dealing with a wild animal, subject to the vagaries of the weather and disease and breeding patterns," he replied. rofl

The pilot culls in Gloucestershire and Somerset set out to study if badgers could be killed safely, effectively and humanely.
It is being carried out in an attempt to control TB in cattle, which can be spread by badgers. Opponents say it will have no impact.

...

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-24459424

Posted: 09-10-2013 22:12 Post subject:

Badgers outwit Tory Minister...what's next? Pope confirmed as Catholic?

Posted: 09-10-2013 23:43 Post subject:

I hope this won't affect the Badger Parade.

Posted: 09-10-2013 23:48 Post subject:

What a bunch of clowns... you couldn't make this stuff up. Laughing

Posted: 10-10-2013 12:51 Post subject:

Oh this will go well.