Malcolm Cadman wrote:
>
> In article <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>, Darren Branagh
> <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> writes
> >Hi All,
> >
> >By Now, you all will have noticed my absence at the Hove Show -
> >unfortunately this couldn't be helped for two reasons..
> >
> >Firstly, I was seriously snowed in!! About 10-12 inches of snow in places,
> >and 2-3 foot drifts at my main gate. I'm been snowbound since last Tuesday,
> >and only got the car out yesterday morning. I was without electricty and
> >phone lines too.
Hope this doesn't sound like "my drifts are bigger than yours" but we
still have drifts of three feet they originally were six feet and over.
Power was off four four days
>
> He .. he .. advantages of living in the country :-)
>
> I trust that you had a drop of good stuff to keep you warm ...
>
> >Secondly, the foot and mouth crisis - its been generally frowned upon for
> >anybody to make any non-essential travel to the UK from Ireland by the
> >government.
>
> Yes, it seems hard to track down where the source(s) lay.
No - MAFF are pretty sure it started at my namesakes pig far ( no
relation BTW), then it seems to have been spread by one dealer/hauleir.
>
> Hopefully, we will learn a lesson from this, and have better practices
> is place for the future.
> --
Sorry Malcolm, but whatever do you mean. F&M is a virus that is
prevalent in some parts of the world where animal welfare is NOT viewed
with the same degree of concern as it is here by public and farmers.
If this outbreak has been caused by the feeding of swill containing
infected meat then someone illegally brought/imported that infected meat
into this country, can you suggest what better practise could guarantee
to prevent this.
Have we had much success in preventing the import of illegal drugs? and
preventing the crime and misery that goes with that scene.
It does seem these days that whatever crisis arrives everyone wants to
blame the government ( of the day), everyone has an answer based on the
dubious facts spouted out by our media.
Sometimes things like this happen, how we deal with it must be based on
proven methods that have worked in the past and kept the UK F&M free.
As someone who works on a farm I am as are many others pretty sick of
hearing the daily misguided and misleading views of the nut cutlet
brigade, so let me dispel some of their utterances.
1. We must get back to the way we farmed fifty years ago
What they mean is an extensive (less intensive) method of farming.
fact - those countries in the world that are rife with F&M are countries
where farming is extensive
fact - fifty years ago we still sometimes had F&M
2. There are too few abattoirs
fact - the 1967 outbreak resulted in over 2000 cases and we had lots
more abattoirs then
fact - it has been easier to track the movement of animals due to fewer
abattoirs and the animal passport system now used
3. The animals get over it so there is no need to slaughter
fact - some animals get over it, some don't
fact - the animals suffer considerably while they have the virus
fact - those that do get over it remain carriers for 18 months
fact - young animals usually die from it
4. Why don't they vaccinate
fact - it is a LIVE vaccine
fact - some animals vaccinated would become carriers
fact - susceptible wild animals that weren't vaccinated would become
infected
fact - the vaccine covers one strain only just like a flu vaccine.
I am sorry if this sounds like a rant and for sending this to the list
but it is important that everyone realises that it is necessary to stay
away from the country side while restrictions are in force and Darren is
to be commended for his action ( or inaction ).
Nothing personnel Malcolm
All the best - Bill
> Malcolm Cadman
