Blue Tongue

Anna · Post by **Anna** » Tue Oct 02, 2007 6:40 pm

I feel so deeply sorry for you who have these terrible diseases so close.

They have found the kind of midges that can possibly carry blue tounge here too, so no one feels really safe. Winter is coming though, I assume that we will not have to face it this year.

happy hollidays · Post by **happy hollidays** » Wed Oct 03, 2007 9:19 pm

Today I phoned deathra and asked them to confirm my zones as on their website it is borderline and not very clear at all. They couldn't tell me, but I believe that I am in both risk zones, they will get back to me asap!!!??? I am a very positive person as a rule, but I have just got over a nasty chest infection, I never get them. I think it is all this stuff going on these days. We got our dexters last summer, it seems to have rained a lot since then. My husband really wanted to buy a farm a while back, but I wasn't comfortable with it and luckily we didn't proceed. I never imagined that keeping livestock would be so depressing quite so early on in our adventure. Back in the spring we were asked to move to france and we would loose them all, I was so grateful Simon choose to stay put, but now the diseases are threatening us. I sincerely look forward to the ups after the downs, but I strongly feel that I don't want to become a proper farmer, its too horrible. I love my life but I am only just keeping a smile on my face at the moment. I do hope that things get better for all, especially those of you who make a living from your animals, I can't imagine the what its like for you. I am still waiting for heads to roll at pirbright, if this wasn't a farming catastrophe, people would have been sacked a long time ago. Going off to eat some chocolate!

Martin · Post by **Martin** » Thu Oct 04, 2007 8:41 am

Hi Estelle,
Don't get too depressed, just be thankfull that you are not relying on stock farming for you daily bread! I feel much sympathy for those that do.
As with most in the south east you will be under both restrictions, but you can move animals direct to slaughter and unless you wish to buy in stock or sell to other farms there are not too many hoops to jump through. It's likely that once these diseases are under control things will get back to normal, a vacine for BT will become available soon (how soon is anyones guess) But things will get better.
At times like these we must remain positive and focus on the future, we must believe we can put this behind us and carry on with our lovely Dexters, this is just another dissapointment that you have to be prepared for when keeping stock.
I have been told that cattle on one of the farms slaughtered at Egham where Dexters, I just hope there are no more outbreaks and normality arrives sooner rather than later.

Martin. Medway Valley Dexters.

PS. Chocolate is good!!!!

Broomcroft · Post by **Broomcroft** » Thu Oct 04, 2007 9:48 am

Yes Estelle, apparently 4 squares of chocolate a day is good for your health, so 4 whole bars must be much better!

Saffy · Post by **Saffy** » Thu Oct 04, 2007 10:50 am

Yes and the great thing about learning from experience is that you NEVER forget it.

However the not so good thing about learning form experience is that after half a life time in agriculture - there is always something else waiting patiently around the next corner so that I can learn from my next experience! :D All good fun!

Stephanie

happy hollidays · Post by **happy hollidays** » Thu Oct 04, 2007 12:58 pm

great news, not only will I have the body of an elephant with all this good for you chocolate, I'm going to get a mind that matches. What more can a girl want. I am not depressed, just feeling sorry for myself and communicating with fellow dexter owners.

Post by **Mark Bowles** » Wed Oct 10, 2007 8:39 pm

As of 10th October we are back in the Bluetongue zone again. Wonderfull!
So in a short space of time we were out of it, in it, out of it an now truly in it......
Mark

Woodmagic · Post by **Woodmagic** » Fri Oct 12, 2007 2:59 am

Dont worry Mark, we shall all be in it shortly. I wonder if Defra have heard of King Canute?

Martin · Post by **Martin** » Fri Oct 12, 2007 2:36 pm

Blue Tongue is now here and we have to get used to it. I fail to see what the survailance zones etc are meant to achieve, as it will spread with or without them and in my veiw should be scrapped.
The company that could develop a vacine (Merial) has been banned from using live vacine because of the F&M outbreak, and DEFRA in their wisdom has decided that WHEN a vacine is available only their operatives will be able to carrry out the vacinations. It looks as if we will have a long wait before this situation gets resolved.

Martin.

Sylvia · Post by **Sylvia** » Fri Oct 12, 2007 3:16 pm

Let us hope this follows the same path as bird flu. Big publicity, lots of fuss, government chasing its own tail as usual and then suddenly it slips off the radar. Fingers crossed, anyway.

natmadaboutdexters · Post by **natmadaboutdexters** » Fri Oct 12, 2007 5:11 pm

How is it that other vaccinations can be done by the farmer, with drugs supplied from their vet and yet Bluetongue will have to be administered by Defra. I take it they will charge for this service? Talk about making work for themselves and the farmer as they will not visit at the farmers convenience.
Natasha

Duncan MacIntyre · Post by **Duncan MacIntyre** » Thu Oct 18, 2007 8:39 pm

I am not completely in touch with defra thinking on this, but possibly because it is such a new disease and a notifiable one, and it may be very important to know if blood tests are showing real evidence of infection or just of vaccination, that they will want to keep complete control on the animals the vaccine has been given to.

The new area can be seen at

http://www.defra.gov.uk/animalh....007.pdf

Hope that is helpful

Duncan

Post by **Mark Bowles** » Thu Oct 18, 2007 8:43 pm

The area gets bigger by the week, wont be long until people like you Duncan will be in complete isolation and the rest of us will be able to trade freely. What a mess!
Mark

ann · Post by **ann** » Thu Oct 18, 2007 9:35 pm

I see York has now come into the restricted zone and its heading up the A19 so I guess unless we get some hard frosts I will be in the zone in the next day or two.

???

welshdexterboy · Post by **welshdexterboy** » Thu Oct 18, 2007 10:04 pm

Would this vaccine be live or dead? because doesn't vaccination help create antibodies and therefore these will be passed on through the colostrum to the calf or is that phooooeeeeee!.Nice to be on the web with you all i hope to learn a lot from you.
Rob H