Badger Cull

[Brosville]

This problem has come about because of modern farming practices, particularly the over-use of antibiotics, and a refusal of the powers that be to allow cattle to be vaccinated - as I've outlined above, this slaughter will be counter-productive all round - it's likely to make the problem worse, and lose farmers what little public support they had.

 

[TOBY-3652]

This problem has come about because of modern farming practices, particularly the over-use of antibiotics, and a refusal of the powers that be to allow cattle to be vaccinated - as I've outlined above, this slaughter will be counter-productive all round - it's likely to make the problem worse, and lose farmers what little public support they had.

and why would that be????? people that are against the cull should just sit back / let the cull go ahead/ and then play up.. some one somewhere must think its going to work or they wouldnt be doing it..

 

[Brosville]

The science says the opposite - Lord Krebs (who did the research) is on record saying it's idiotic - the quote on Chris Packham's website sums up why it's happening........
http://www.chrispackham.co.uk/

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Save the endangered species,.......the UK dairy farmer !
We need to produce more milk for ourselves rather than importing such vast amounts from the continent, and however much I like badgers, most dairy people I talk to believe the "mochyn ddaear" ( earth pig ) is responsible for much of their woes.
Although they get compo for slaughtered cows, I believe its the inconvenience and added cost of standstills on their animals which pushes the whole enterprise further towards being nonviable, a cost not associated with lameness or mastitis (most cases of which are easily treated).

over two hundred calves we had to shoot last year because of TB standstill - and that was just one farm! and the compensation for slaughtered cattle is nowhere near the market price.

 

[hedgerow pete]

sorry to upset you all but

I am pro badger cull.
I dont care that they are using TB as an excuse, just lower there numbers and can whilst were at it can someone start to spread a rumour that rabbits also spread TB so we can drasticly lower there numbers to,


why are we not culling the dear too ?

 

[Hivemaker.]

why are we not culling the dear too ?

They are being culled around here and Scotland....you forgot to add cats to your list, their uncontrolled increase could be causing the demise of lots of our birds.

 

[jackbee]

Save the endangered species,.......the UK dairy farmer !
We need to produce more milk for ourselves rather than importing such vast amounts from the continent, and however much I like badgers, most dairy people I talk to believe the "mochyn ddaear" ( earth pig ) is responsible for much of their woes.
Although they get compo for slaughtered cows, I believe its the inconvenience and added cost of standstills on their animals which pushes the whole enterprise further towards being nonviable, a cost not associated with lameness or mastitis (most cases of which are easily treated).

But the research doesn't quite support either side, it's not clear cut that badgers are a great factor in bovine tb, and it's not clear cut thay they don't. Uncertainty and "well lets see if it helps" doesn't really nake for a very well thought out way forward, it certaibky won't add to any of the scientific knowledge on the subject.

and why would that be????? people that are against the cull should just sit back / let the cull go ahead/ and then play up.. some one somewhere must think its going to work or they wouldnt be doing it..

Why on earth should people sit back if they are against it, fail to see any logic in that argument. Even if many hundreds or thousands or even millions believe somethig doesn't make it true. Research and evidence makes things true, not belief.

 

[iand]

So if before the ban on culling was introduced in the 60's? and TB was virtually eradicated (according to a local Vet).
If it so nearly worked during that time why not now?
What is so different?

 

[hallshoney]

i am very much pro cull i would though rather a minimum caliber should be used say .222 and not shot guns i dispatched a badly injured badger last week it took 2 rounds point blank they are very tuff animals

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

i am very much pro cull i would though rather a minimum caliber should be used say .222 and not shot guns i dispatched a badly injured badger last week it took 2 rounds point blank they are very tuff animals

the safest and humanest way is lamping at night. With .22 it has to be a clear head shot so not recommended. .17 HMR would do the trick but only in the right hands - for a small calibre it has some range and shoots very flat.

 

[PBee]

There's a whiff of cordite in the air to-night.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

There's a whiff of cordite in the air to-night.

And no, I don't like the smell of napalm in the morning

 

[PBee]

Always better to go for plenty of punch or things can get messy.

 

[george]

Would this be the same Brian May who visited a primary school recently explaining to the kids that the reason they went home with fox poop all over uniforms and shoes was because they werent being careful enough with litter round the school !
Sorry , along with too many " celebs" Mr May is showing ignorance and stupidity in equal measure .
G
PS I think Badgers are great too along with a great many other animals but if a cull puts the argument to bed about tb , lets get on with it . One way or the other .
It amazes me that people here are quite happy to squash a poor defenseless queen just because she is a bit fiesty but change their tune as the animal gets bigger , furrier and cuter . Rats are furry and cute but at the first sign of rodents in the house out come the traps , poisons or pest control man .
A pest animal is a pest whether it be microscopic or Elephant sized .

 

[hedgerow pete]

i think personally there is too much dross in BOTH sides of the arguments and a lot of hear say , a very similar set up to many main stream discussions say like gm etc.

i dont think culling badgers for tb reasons are very valid but then again badgers are not the whole picture, there are many other tb infected animals wild that can spread the tb

what i do persoanlly belive in is that the badger population as a whole is very inflated and very out of proportion to what i would expect it to be.
the same can be said for many other animals, rabbits, mink, cats, certain deer. yet we are not culling those aswell,

i would find the badger cull to sit better with many people if it was seen in a context of a whole gambit of tb reduction, to me it is seen as a single source and the only source.

as for the rounds of choice, knowing how hard a badger is a .22lr is the minium i could use with my skill set and would if given the chance go larger.

i never did understand why traps aswell as shooting to give a more complete range of tools was not justified??

can i just say that i do understand the case against non culling, i just dont see it as sutible option

 

[george]

Pete I will root round for the numbers but deer are being controlled to the tune of hundreds of thousands per yr .

The estate I help out on which is 10,000 ha is taking 50 Red , 150 roe and Muntjac are shot on sight each yr .

Scotland is even harder on the hill deer .

G

 

[PBee]

Sorry , along with too many " celebs" Mr May is showing ignorance and stupidity in equal measure .
G

Brian May is a prophet and the sole survivor of the holy trinity - Ronnie Van Zant and Levon Helm (Peace be upon them) are no longer with us.

 

[madasafish]

I love badgers. They are cute and cuddly and when they eat my strawberries and destroy my cloches and crash through the fences I reinforce to prevent their entry, I just laugh.

So what if they lead to a few thousand cows having to be slaughtered? It would be far better to see the UK dairy industry go bust, see the French supply our milk and the price in the shops double. We don't need cows# in the UK. Let others grow our milk to standards set without any input from us.

Badgers should be protected properly: every motorway and major and minor roads should have badger underpasses so badgers can cross safely - preferably at 1/2 mile intervals. Motorists who kill badgers should be jailed.

As for people who cull badgers, legally or illegally, prison is too good for them. Bring back the cat.

# Without cows less water pollution due to cow manure is an added bonus. The pastures previously grassed over for cows can be resown as natural flower meadows for bees.

 

[jackbee]

I love badgers. They are cute and cuddly and when they eat my strawberries and destroy my cloches and crash through the fences I reinforce to prevent their entry, I just laugh.

So what if they lead to a few thousand cows having to be slaughtered? It would be far better to see the UK dairy industry go bust, see the French supply our milk and the price in the shops double. We don't need cows# in the UK. Let others grow our milk to standards set without any input from us.

Badgers should be protected properly: every motorway and major and minor roads should have badger underpasses so badgers can cross safely - preferably at 1/2 mile intervals. Motorists who kill badgers should be jailed.

As for people who cull badgers, legally or illegally, prison is too good for them. Bring back the cat.

# Without cows less water pollution due to cow manure is an added bonus. The pastures previously grassed over for cows can be resown as natural flower meadows for bees.

don't forget all that methane that's caused global warming too - evil things

Not as evil as sheep and goats though, have you seen their eyes - Aaaargh

 

[PBee]

I love badgers. They are cute and cuddly and when they eat my strawberries and destroy my cloches and crash through the fences I reinforce to prevent their entry, I just laugh.

So what if they lead to a few thousand cows having to be slaughtered? It would be far better to see the UK dairy industry go bust, see the French supply our milk and the price in the shops double. We don't need cows# in the UK. Let others grow our milk to standards set without any input from us.

Badgers should be protected properly: every motorway and major and minor roads should have badger underpasses so badgers can cross safely - preferably at 1/2 mile intervals. Motorists who kill badgers should be jailed.

As for people who cull badgers, legally or illegally, prison is too good for them. Bring back the cat.

# Without cows less water pollution due to cow manure is an added bonus. The pastures previously grassed over for cows can be resown as natural flower meadows for bees.

Wow! common sense at last. Anyway, too much dairy products make the biomass per unit person increase and interfere with Ryanairs' profit margins. Scales soon to appear at check in and possibly a person sized shape to squeeze through aswell!