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BS: foot and mouth
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Subject: RE: BS: foot and mouth From: Greyeyes Date: 04 Mar 01 - 06:40 PM Spot, what stopped you from posting the corrections? Most of us are happy to stand corrected. |
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Subject: RE: BS: foot and mouth From: Greyeyes Date: 04 Mar 01 - 06:35 PM Sorcha, 'Their' animals will only escape destruction as long as they are not implicated in the spread of the disease. If Charles' free range pigs at Highgrove contract F&M they will all be slaughtered, as will every other beast on his farm. The Queen's position in issues like this is to support the elected Government, who nominally represent her. In this case she has to toe MAFF's line, and cannot be seen to opose their policies. She will no doubt offer whatever crumbs of comfort and support she can to the people affected. While I appreciate that bloodlines can be replaced, the compensation the farmers receive will not reflect the investment that they and their families have put into the animals. The amount they get for one dairy cow will not match the years of milk yield they might have anticipated, and it is likely that their children will still go unfed. Most UK farmers, particularly the small ones, are in hock at the bank up to their eyeballs, and have no hope of borrowing any more to start building up herds and flocks again. I appreciate your concern over the privileged status of the royals, but it just isn't relevant in this debate.
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Subject: RE: BS: foot and mouth From: Jon Freeman Date: 04 Mar 01 - 06:31 PM sorcha, I have no idea what the Royal Family will do but I guess they might do a little bit of PR and leave the rest to the government. As for Americans not "getting" the Royal Family, I don't get it either and would prefer a republic but as others have indicated here. The country has far greater worries than that at the moment. Jon |
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Subject: RE: BS: foot and mouth From: Dave Wynn Date: 04 Mar 01 - 06:28 PM I very nearly posted a series of corrections to this thread. It is full of postings by people who have no real information and guessed or listened to TV for their information. This and the ubiquitous "I remember the last time..." or "bloody England again" brigade. I expected more from this list. I am so sorry I was disappointed. Spot (not a cloven hoofed animal) the Dog |
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Subject: RE: BS: foot and mouth From: Sorcha Date: 04 Mar 01 - 06:18 PM That is my point, friends. I don't really mean to Royal Bash, but my guess is Their Animals will escape destruction regardless of the situation,just because they are Royal and have "priviliges". I don't really care either; I am a citizen of a Republic, not a subject. We settled that issue on this side of the pond over 200 yrs ago.
No, financial compensation will not restore ancient bloodlines, but it would go a long ways in avoiding backruptcy, and possilby suicides. I would weep over my bloodlines, but if I were compensated it would go a long way towards establishing new ones........if my children were fed in the meantime.
Bloodlines can be re built, over several lifetimes. They have been before, and will be again, but can a family and a lifestyle after bankruptcy and or sucicide be re built? I think not. I guess my real question is, just exactly what is the Royal Family doing about this extreme crisis? I do know that it is an extreme crisis, both personally and internationally economic.........but,it is, after all, Her Kingdom......whether She is a figurehead or not.......She does not have total control over the Kingdom as in the Middle Ages, I know that. The fact remains that She and They have moral control over the Kingdom even though that has slipped considerably lately.
If I had no compensation, no hope for continuing my business and no hope for my family's future, I think that in many cases this would lead to murder/suicide.I hope and pray that this is not true, but I would still be interested in the Palace's postiton on this, especically after all the recent uproars in light of the Family, and maintaining Them.
I am not trying to be crass, "Royals" hold as much fascination for me as they do most Americans.....(because we just don't Get It? or because we still "want" this in some way? whatever)
HRH Charles, would at least, I think, go with the flow......"if it needs to be done, then so be it......." Charles has always been practical, if nothing else, but the rest of them? I am NOT trying to be nasty or bashing here, just asking.......I know there are LOTS of problems being a Public Person (Royal or not) that I as a Private Person do not understand. I personally think it would be HORRIBLE to have to be a Public Person....... |
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Subject: RE: BS: foot and mouth From: McGrath of Harlow Date: 04 Mar 01 - 06:05 PM As I understand it, foot and mouth is analogous to flu in humans - which can be fatal on an emormous scale, or can be little worse than a cold, depending on what strain it is, and what condition you are in to start with. I would imagine that, with the way animals are treated these days in the agricultural business, it would probably tend to be fatal to a high proportion, even if it is a relatively mild strain.
And since horses can't get it, talk about culling horses is irelevant, except for those that are free to roam around like Dartmoor ponies. The reason horses get mentioned in this context is that they carry earth around on their hooves, and so could move infected material around - as could cars, boots, hedgehogs etc., and apparently wind.
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Subject: RE: BS: foot and mouth From: Greyeyes Date: 04 Mar 01 - 06:00 PM There are many contradictions being bandied (sp?) around at the moment. The BBC spokesman may have been briefed by MAFF,and not bothered to look any further. As Metchosin has pointed out, there are 7 types of F&M, of varying degrees of severity. I haven't heard this discussed by the BBC yet, in fact I haven't heard it discussed by anyone except Metchosin. |
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Subject: RE: BS: foot and mouth From: Penny S. Date: 04 Mar 01 - 05:40 PM Interesting article - contradicted by a spokesman on the BBC, who said that milk prduction dropped to zero, and muscle building effectively ceased - not a drop in production but an end to it. Sounded like a response to all the "what on earth are we doing this for?" talk. Penny |
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Subject: RE: BS: foot and mouth From: Megan L Date: 04 Mar 01 - 05:10 PM 'sOK Metchosin figured I must have slipped into the middle. Hawker and greyeyes are right, at the moment this isn't about rank, title, blame or ethical beliefs, for those concerned it is about surviving till tommorow. Many small hauliers, butchers and other local businesses in farming areas work on very small profit margins, this could be one straw too many. |
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Subject: RE: BS: foot and mouth From: Greyeyes Date: 04 Mar 01 - 04:00 PM Sorcha, there will be compensation for slaughtered beasts, but that won't make up for the years, decades, generations of work that goes into raising a herd/flock of quality livestock. And the compensation will not extend to the other industries and businesses tied up with farming. I agree with Hawker, this is not the time or the place to bring the monarchy into question. As a lifelong republican I yearn for the day when I can call myself a citizen, rather than a subject, but I don't see how slaughtering the queen's animals will influence anything. |
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Subject: RE: BS: foot and mouth From: Hawker Date: 04 Mar 01 - 03:32 PM Sorry Sorcha, but it doesn't matter to me whether it is a Dartmoor pony that is affected or one of Camilla's best hunters, they are all innocent animals who are subject to a nations greed, directly or indirectly. For those of us who really are suffering, Royal bashing just isn't an issue at the moment, and as for compensation, there is info on the MAFF website threaded above if you care to look, but no amount of compensation can replace, in some instances generations of hard work. Lucy |
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Subject: RE: BS: foot and mouth From: Sorcha Date: 04 Mar 01 - 03:21 PM I still want to know abou compensation or subsidies, and it would be VERY interesting to know about the "Royal" animals----polo ponies, coach horses, Corgis, etc, etc. I just imagine how well it would go over if MAAF said "Oooo, yer Majesty, we're sorry, but all the Corgis are getting burnt". Coooooo-ie!! Or Camilla's horses, now wouldn't that be a kick? |
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Subject: RE: BS: foot and mouth From: Metchosin Date: 04 Mar 01 - 03:11 PM Megan my comment regarding dancing was directed to Greyeyes' post, not yours. |
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Subject: RE: BS: foot and mouth From: Metchosin Date: 04 Mar 01 - 02:16 PM yup, that's the politics of dancin' |
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Subject: RE: BS: foot and mouth From: Megan L Date: 04 Mar 01 - 02:16 PM I had to go to Glasgow for family reasons and spent the week watching in horror as they said the first two confirmed cases could be controled if precautions were taken - I remember the nightmare last time around,we weren't allowed to go and play with pals who lived on farms, one of them lost thier entire herd of cattle including my pals pet calf - as I thought it spread fast and wide. As we got on the boat to come home we had to drive over disinfected carpets, same getting of. while the effect on the animals is awful the possible effect on those working in farming could be tragic, last time the suicide rate soared. |
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Subject: RE: BS: foot and mouth From: Greyeyes Date: 04 Mar 01 - 02:04 PM Not my speciality either Metchosin, but I suspect the Govt.ministry responsible (MAFF) would not be concerned with the strain. Their response would be the same even if it was the mildest strain. |
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Subject: RE: BS: foot and mouth From: Metchosin Date: 04 Mar 01 - 01:51 PM Sorry Greyeyes I should have said pathogenicity, not virulence, regarding the strain affecting in Britain, as you can note by the above article, there are "seven major immunologically distinct types of the foot-and-mouth virus". Viruses are not my specialty, my past experience has primarily been in the field of quarantine regarding plant parasites, specifically the nematodes G. rostochiensis and B. xylophilus, both of which were highly political internationally. |
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Subject: RE: BS: foot and mouth From: Greyeyes Date: 04 Mar 01 - 01:30 PM The virulence of the disease refers to the incredible speed with which it spreads. It is not usually fatal to animals, but if not slaughtered and incinerated they A)are of little market value once they recover, and B) allow the disease to spread uncontrolled. Animals that recover can remain infectious for some time. As Sian says, there's now a reported case in the middle of Dartmoor (incidentally on a farm owned by Prince Charles), which has been completely isolated for some time. It was almost certainly airborn. Confining Dartmoor Ponies is not practical. It's a huge area, they roam wild all over it. I'm not sure what purpose a cull would serve either, they couldn't hope to kill them all, and I trust, wouldn't try. Dartmoor is one of most important livestock areas in the country, it just gets bleaker and bleaker. |
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Subject: RE: BS: foot and mouth From: Metchosin Date: 04 Mar 01 - 01:24 PM It would be interesting to find out what strain is currently in Britain. Here is more than you would ever want to know about it.
"Foot-and-mouth disease = hoof-and-mouth disease
Foot-and-mouth disease (FMD), also called HOOF-AND-MOUTH DISEASE, or AFTOSA, a highly contagious viral disease affecting practically all cloven-footed mammals, including cattle, sheep, goats, and swine. Wild herbivores such as bison, deer, antelope, reindeer, llama, camel, giraffe, and elephant are also susceptible. The horse is resistant to the infection. The disease is characterized by the formation of painful fluid-filled vesicles (blisters) on the tongue, lips, and other tissues of the mouth and on parts of the body where the skin is thin, as on the udder and teats, between the two toes of the feet, and around the coronary band above the hoof.
There are seven major immunologically distinct types of the foot-and-mouth virus, and these types affect different species and produce symptoms of differing severity. The virus is spread by both inhalation and ingestion, and it has an affinity for epithelium (the covering of the skin and mucous membranes of the gastrointestinal tract); it forms a primary vesicle where it gains entrance in the body. Within 24 to 48 hours it enters the bloodstream, causing fever. During this phase, lasting 24 to 36 hours, the virus isexcreted in the saliva, the milk, the urine, and the feces. A characteristic smacking of the lips then usually becomes prominent in the infected animal, ushering in the phase of the formation of vesicles on the tongue, gums, and lips of the mouth. These vesicles rupture in about 24 hours, leaving raw, inflamed, and extremely painful surfaces that heal in one to two weeks. By this time the animal refuses to eat solid food. Blisters also appear on the foot, causing lameness. Foot-and-mouth disease is endemic throughout much of Europe, Asia, Africa, and South America. The virus can survive for relatively long periods of time in the air, in food and garbage, and even in hides, hair, and wool, so measures for controlling the disease are necessarily rigorous. A diagnosis of the affected animals must be made quickly and the area quarantined, after which all infected or susceptible animals are slaughtered and their carcasses burned. Other contaminated objects are cleaned and disinfected, and the farm or other quarantined area is left uninhabited for several months. The development of effective vaccines has helped control epidemics but has not eliminated the disease. As a result of strict quarantine measures and the prompt destruction of infected animals, North America has remained largely free of the disease; the last major outbreak in the United States was in 1929. There is no effective treatment for infected animals." |
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Subject: RE: BS: foot and mouth From: Metchosin Date: 04 Mar 01 - 01:08 PM Interesting article Greyeyes but there seems to be a bit of a discrepancy in that article between what the newspapers say about the virulence of the disease and what is documented elsewhere regarding mortality.....hmmm |
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Subject: RE: BS: foot and mouth From: Greyeyes Date: 04 Mar 01 - 01:00 PM I think this is the article you mean Sian. Click here
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Subject: RE: BS: foot and mouth From: Metchosin Date: 04 Mar 01 - 12:57 PM Shit! why cull them? just keep them to a more confined area. Don't suppose they will cull the Queen's horses or Prince Charles polo ponies...... |
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Subject: RE: BS: foot and mouth From: sian, west wales Date: 04 Mar 01 - 12:44 PM It hasn't reached West Wales (I'm not going to say, Yet) but things are closed up tight. We've got all the disinfectant precautions as above. All public paths are closed, as are National Parks and National Trust properties. Local Authorities have very broad powers and I was told yesterday that Pembrokeshire County Council have even banned funerals other than those attended only by immediate family. They didn't really need to do this, as no farm family, or sensitive other rural dweller, would even think of going. My aunt in North Wales was rushed to hospital with gall stones on Tues. night but I can't go visit as I would have to go through infected territory ... and it isn't worth the risk. This time of year all areas hold their local Urdd Eisteddodau (music/literature competitory festival) which feed into the main annual event in May. Most, if not all, are now cancelled, which is a real blow for Welsh speaking Welshpeople. And still we get people coming in from the urban areas with their dogs and giving park Wardens grief when they are turned away. There's a very good article today on the front page of The Independent - perhaps it will be on line somewhere. It shows that MAFF is not interested in either human or animal welfare but in keeping big agricultural businesses safe. We've also had the first reports of F&M on Dartmoor ... which they say could mean culling the wild ponies. Oh, and re: the counselling ...yes, there is a network of services available, largely through the Churches. There are also agricultural charities which are standing assurance to feed and food providers, in the event that farm families can't afford to feed themselves or their animals. They expect that the real crunch will come in a few weeks, when the realities start sinking in. This is not a happy situation. sian |
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Subject: RE: BS: foot and mouth From: Metchosin Date: 04 Mar 01 - 12:36 PM One bright spot people might be that the virus is sensitive to environmental influences, "such as pH less than 5, sunlight and dessication, however it can survive for long period of time at freezing temperatures." Hopefully you have a warm dry spring as that will offer some natural control. |
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Subject: RE: BS: foot and mouth From: MARINER Date: 04 Mar 01 - 12:13 PM In the last U.K. outbreak Foot and Mouth was kept out of Ireland by discouraging people from travelling to the country and by disenfecting all at ports and airports. This time could proove different. Open borders and regular to and froing between both countries make it a lot more difficult that 1967. And then we have greed. The outbreak in Northern Ireland appears to have been caused by lambs brought from a market in Carlisle, some of which (270)have been smuggled over the border into the Republic.Now all these animals are tagged. For some strange reason the inspectors in the Republics plant never noticed that the 270 lambs had there ear tags removed, and slaughtered them. Greed! So far there has been no confirmed outbreak in The Republic, if we stay free it will be nothing short of a miracle.Foot and Mouth is a blow to any country's economy.In the U.K.its something like .1% of the G.N.P.whereas in The Irish Republic it's 25% We get it in Ireland we're done for , bye , bye Celtic Tiger. |
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Subject: RE: BS: foot and mouth From: Metchosin Date: 04 Mar 01 - 12:07 PM or for all Western powers for that matter, to stop bombing the infrastructure of countries such as Yugoslavia and Iraq (both of which have had epidemics recently) We live in a very small world and the ramifications of our actions soon come home to roost. |
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Subject: RE: BS: foot and mouth From: Metchosin Date: 04 Mar 01 - 11:51 AM Thanks Jon, missed that, might be controllable by covering manure piles as required here, but not for the stuff deposited out in fields. Gawd what a daunting task. Another reason for Britain and other areas of Europe to stop using carrion for protein in their stock feed. |
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Subject: RE: BS: foot and mouth From: Penny S. Date: 04 Mar 01 - 11:18 AM Two radio items - yesterday, a caller to a phone in, who sounded informed, stated that research had failed to show any transmission via wild birds, especially starlings - also, an earlier program reported a case in an earlier outbreak, in which moist air flowing above a river, had carried virus down from an infected farm to others in the valley. Penny S. |
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Subject: RE: BS: foot and mouth From: Sorcha Date: 04 Mar 01 - 10:59 AM The whole mess is just too, too tragic. Are there any plans afoot in UK for the government to compensate these people in any way? (snide aside--the Royal Family's "allowance" could make a big dent in the losses" |
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Subject: RE: BS: foot and mouth From: Jon Freeman Date: 04 Mar 01 - 06:13 AM Metchoin, the UK site I linked to does state that this disease is wind bourne. Here is the relevant part of the FAQ.
Q How is it spread? Airborne spread of the disease takes place readily. The prevailing meteorological conditions and local topography determine the distance that the disease can travel and this may be considerable. For example, circumstantial evidence strongly suggests that the outbreak on the Isle of Wight in 1981 resulted from the airborne spread of the of the virus from Brittany in northern France. The disease is also spread mechanically by the movement of animals, persons, vehicles and other things, which have been contaminated by the virus. Meat from the carcase of animals infected with FMD at the time of slaughter can transmit the virus. In the past outbreaks of the disease have been linked with the importation of infected meat and meat products.
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Subject: RE: BS: foot and mouth From: Llanfair Date: 04 Mar 01 - 05:43 AM All the farms here have straw/disinfectant barriers at their gates, though stock high on the hill farms will be more difficult to protect. The farmers are not allowed to move the sheep down to the farm for lambing, so there will be casualties there. When I went to get poultry food from the agricultural suppliers, car tyres and feet had to be disinfected. Though the suppliers ran out of disinfectant for sale last Tuesday. The Deri Woods are closed. Whatever the politics, thousands of animals will die and farmers will give up or go bankrupt because the "powers that be" destroyed the local farming facilities,by closing local slaughterhouses. Bron. |
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Subject: RE: BS: foot and mouth From: Liz the Squeak Date: 04 Mar 01 - 04:53 AM Terribly depressing as I went down to my old home last weekend, and drove through to Devon. All gates were closed and signs posted warning trespassers of the consequences, many were blocked by farm machinery, and I had to wave hello to my aunt over a 12 yard 'no go' area in front of her farm. I didn't dare drive over, as I had been in Devon previously. Driving back to Devon the next day, there was a great pall of smoke over a small holding. There can only be two explainations, and as there were no buildings nearby....... LTS |
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Subject: RE: BS: foot and mouth From: Susan of DT Date: 03 Mar 01 - 11:13 PM (from dick greenhaus) THe strain that afflicted the US back in the 20s definitely caused high mortality rates among its victims. It was stamped out by the horrific slaughter of any herd in which any instance of the disease occurred. The only other carrier I heard of was wild deer, who were similarly exterminated en masse. My father was involved in this operation, and told me about it when I was a kid. I believe it was the disease that led to the discovery of virus infection. |
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Subject: RE: BS: foot and mouth From: Metchosin Date: 03 Mar 01 - 09:18 PM McGrath it is a serious disease, it can cripple animals, causing their hooves to slough off and the mortality rate among young animals is high, particularly for those born of mothers that are infected. I have never seen any publications that would suggest that the disease is wind borne, if it was, Canada wouldn't have been able to isolate and eradicate it in 1952. But as in all trading nations there is also political baggage associated with it as well. The disease has within the last few years devastated Iraq, particularly in the absence of vaccine and has spread into southern Russia and China. Ironically, Britain was one of the nations that sent vaccine to Iraq fairly recently, as humanitarian aid.
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Subject: RE: BS: foot and mouth From: McGrath of Harlow Date: 03 Mar 01 - 08:52 PM "plus vaccinated livestock cannot be exported to countries that themselves don't vaccinate"
Which wouldn't be such a bad idea anyway. Britain imports more meat than it exports. So why is it exporting the meat in the first place? All down to economics, but it's crazy economics.
I don't really trust technical fixes, but here's a New Scientist article about new vaccines that could mean the end of the mass slaughter policy, and maybe provide such a fix. |
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Subject: RE: BS: foot and mouth From: Hawker Date: 03 Mar 01 - 08:28 PM Hear hear Jon, Interesting article...... One assumes they have eradicated fling pigs and have that one under control........More's the pity! Lucy |
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Subject: RE: BS: foot and mouth From: Jon Freeman Date: 03 Mar 01 - 08:00 PM Some further thoughts on its spreading. Jon |
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Subject: RE: BS: foot and mouth From: nutty Date: 03 Mar 01 - 07:56 PM Not much has been said about wild animals although there could be a problem with deer which roam free in many areas of the country - this is probably another reason for limiting movement in the National Parks and countryside |
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Subject: RE: BS: foot and mouth From: Rollo Date: 03 Mar 01 - 07:41 PM "Let's hope (...) consumers start to think a bit further than the cheapness of their sunday roast" amen to that!
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Subject: RE: BS: foot and mouth From: Greyeyes Date: 03 Mar 01 - 07:35 PM schweinepest is known as classical swine fever in the UK, there was on outbreak recently which many pig farmers are only just recovering from. Another reason that this F&M epidemic is so badly timed. The reason for slaughtering and burning when most animals would recover is the virulence of the disease. If it was allowed to run its course it would sweep the length & breadth of the country in a few months, and infect practically every cloven hooved beast in the UK. Slaughtering and burning is considered the most effective, in fact the only, way to hope to control it and limit its spread. People are having to watch their life's work, sometimes the sum of 2 or 3 generations work, go up in smoke. Irreplaceable bloodlines will be lost forever. Let's hope the government finally do something to rationalise food production in the UK, the supermarket's stranglehold is broken, and consumers start to think a bit further than the cheapness of their sunday roast. |
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Subject: RE: BS: foot and mouth From: Jock Morris Date: 03 Mar 01 - 07:34 PM As far as I understand, one of the reasons for not vaccinating is the vaccine can effect milk yields in cattle, plus vaccinated livestock cannot be exported to countries that themselves don't vaccinate. Another reason for slaughter, rather than treating the animals is that although they recover fairly quickly they can stay infectious for up to 30 months. Scott |
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Subject: RE: BS: foot and mouth From: Rollo Date: 03 Mar 01 - 07:07 PM Now they have killed the first suspicious (yet not infected stock in germany, I wonder: what about deer and wild pigs? When there was an outbreak of "schweinepest" (I don't know what this highly infectious pigs disease is called in english) a couple of years ago they started to massacre wild pig populations all over Niedersachsen area... How is wild life threated in GB? |
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Subject: RE: BS: foot and mouth From: catspaw49 Date: 03 Mar 01 - 06:45 PM And isn't it pleasant to know that all governments have quit developing strains of both anthrax and hoof and mouth for use in warfare. I mean like its reassuring to know........isn't it? Places like Plum Island are developing tests and vaccines instead of new human loving strains of hoof and mouth. Glad my government has come completely clean on this. I feel much better now I tell you! Oh yeah..........sure is good to know the truth huh? Spaw |
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Subject: RE: BS: foot and mouth From: Hawker Date: 03 Mar 01 - 06:37 PM Hi, Mc Grath of Harlow, I cannot agree more, locally slaughtered meat would indeed be the way to go, and the demise of the local slaughterhouse, leading to farms in Northumberland and Devon using a slaughterhouse in Essex is surely the root cause. Its the old equation Saving vs making Money again - Somehow the world has got it wrong somewhere, surely it's not me being dim again is it? I have just read on the TV text pages that a farmer in Highhampton adjoining Mr Cleave's farm, who has also had to have his livestock slaughtered, called the police and television to his farm, I am not sure what transpired but the man was described as distressed and the police have confiscated his firearm to protect him from himself.... I am distressed just living and watching what is happening here, but to see one's lifes work go up in a huge pyre of smoke would be more than a little distressing, are MAFF or NFU offering any sort of counselling to these guys, I know there is some sort of compensation, but nothing can compensate for the sight of a huge pile of burning carcasses (sorry to be so graphic, but it IS horrible!) Sadder still, Lucy |
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Subject: RE: BS: foot and mouth From: Cobble Date: 03 Mar 01 - 06:28 PM Sorcha Crufts is to be rescheduled some time in May or June to be anounced at a later date. I was to have shown my Skye Terriers on Thursday and maned the Skye stand in the 'Discover Dogs" exhibition on Sunday. The Kennel Club statement said although they had not been forced to postpone by MAFF they felt they should, to prevent the virus from spreading via cars. As many dog exhibiters live in rural areas I think they have the right idea. Just hope they don't reschedule when I am on holiday! Our judge was to have been Walter Goodman who comes from Florida, he may be pleased if he gets to come to UK when the weather gets warmer!! My thoughts are with all the farmers who are affected by this awful situation. Mrs C. |
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Subject: RE: BS: foot and mouth From: Jon Freeman Date: 03 Mar 01 - 06:21 PM oggie, the information in the links Mechosin and I gave indicate that humans can get this disease although it is extremely rare. Hawker, it must be awful where you are. As far as I know, Norfolk is OK but I would imagine the farmers are still very worried. I have only recently moved from North Wales where I heard that there was one reported case in Gaerwen, Anglsey but as far as I can make out, it was an isolated case in an abatoir from a farm elsewhere. Jon |
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Subject: RE: BS: foot and mouth From: oggie Date: 03 Mar 01 - 05:53 PM It affects cloven-footed animals but can be carried by almost anything including us on our clothes etc which is why walkers are being discouraged. Like the Flu virus it mutates so vaccinations do not stay current, needs revaccinating every 3 months or so and then it may not work on a new strain. A major worry is that it could mutate into a strain which jumps species (scrapie in sheep became BSE in ruminants which became New Variant CJD in humans). It is not just trade in Europe that is affected but trade with ALL countries. Even though it does not (as far as we know) affect humans would you knowingly eat a piece of meat from an animal which had the disease? Not sure I would. What this does show is just how inter-linked the modern food supply chain is. If you supply meat to a major retailler you are told which abbatoir to use so, as in this case, animals travel 400 miles to slaughter and so the disease can be spread. So far all the outbreaks can show a causal chain back to the first outbreak in Northumberland. All the best Steve |
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Subject: RE: BS: foot and mouth From: McGrath of Harlow Date: 03 Mar 01 - 05:14 PM here is a song about it, from the early years of the last century.
There've even been talk of wiping out hedgehogs, because they walk around and don't wipe theirr paws when they stray onto another farm. Meanwhile the wind carries the spores around anyway, but they can't do much about it.
The problem as I understand it is that while it's not in itself a desperately serious disease - animals don't die of normally - they've worked out that slaughtering is cheaper than looking after them, and not having a slaughter policy would bugger up the process of exporting and importing meat and cattle. Which may make economic sense, but it's crazy - the English export beef to France, and the French export it to England and so forth. If we all ate the food produced on the farm up the road, this whole thing wouldn't happen, and we wouldn't be wasting all that energy. |
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Subject: RE: BS: foot and mouth From: Metchosin Date: 03 Mar 01 - 04:55 PM Treated straw might help a bit, but as an old ex Ag Canada employee with a bit of experience in quarantines, to be really safe in that regard, all tires, tracks and boots would have to be scrubbed and disinfected and if it can be spread by flocks of pigeons and starlings feeding on contaminated scattered grain and hay seeds in manure piles etc. it does seem to be a very daunting task indeed. You and your neighbours have my deepest sympathy Lucy. |
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Subject: RE: BS: foot and mouth From: nutty Date: 03 Mar 01 - 04:52 PM As I understand it .... only cloven hooved animals get the disease(sheep, cows , goats) but other animals - such as horses - can carry the disease which, because it is a virus, travels at an amazing speed and can even be airborne. |