Badger Cull

[MattBackHome]

Of course there should be a cull. You animal rights loving lefty bastards may be saying "think of the poor badgers" but what about the cows which get slaughtered due to getting TB from this rather irritating animal and think of the farmer who is stopped from trading his cattle? Farmers as it is do not earn much money. If they are stopped from trading they will earn less and go out of business. And as for the idea of vaccinating them, that would be far to expensive.

Yeah you're totally right.

Oh, except for the fact that badger culling doesn't work in reducing TB in cattle overall - rendering it utterly pointless. I don't care if they choose to knock off a few badgers, but only if it's actually helping matters.

 

[perseus]

Yeah you're totally right.

Oh, except for the fact that badger culling doesn't work in reducing TB in cattle overall - rendering it utterly pointless. I don't care if they choose to knock off a few badgers, but only if it's actually helping matters.

It does work in reducing TB according to the scientists in charge. It is projected to reduce the incidence to 85% of the current total incidence if the culling is done properly. That may or may not make economic sense That is you believe the scientists, if you believe the culling will be done successfully, and if you believe the testing is accurate (which it is not), and the farmers do not change their practices which may contribute to the problem.

I can't judge. the scientific information is not available free to the public from Germany etc. It would be available to a scrutiny Committee of Parliament though. The House of Lords is likely to have a farmer representation though. And the House of Commons could do it, but they will play politics, I think. David Attenborough opposes the cull, but I cannot understand his argument. It seems to be based on the ineffectiveness of culling. That is only part of the issue.

PS: British cattle farmers may have to change to reduce antibiotic use which is poisoning the environment. Germany is the leading cattle producer in Europe and their practices are copied in the UK.