Shamba's Reprieve

ann · Post by **ann** » Mon Jul 16, 2007 8:49 pm

I heard on the news that Shamba the bull has been given a stay of execution, I bet this has put the cat among the pigeons. I gather Defra have already launched an appeal.

??? ???

strawberriesclint · Post by **strawberriesclint** » Tue Jul 17, 2007 4:35 pm

i think this has left defra wide open for everyone to appeal, if their cattle test possitive to tb. I expect all the owners of pedigree cattle that had to have their cattle put down because of tb will be livid that this fresian bullock has survived when their animals has had to be slaughtered. Personally i am absolutely disgusted. If that animal has the right to a second chance then why cant others.

Broomcroft · Post by **Broomcroft** » Tue Jul 17, 2007 4:46 pm

I think it's a judge that's let him off the hook (no pun intended). DEFRA want him to have the chop, don't they? This could explain why we get some very funny laws that seem to lack sense.

redhill · Post by **redhill** » Tue Jul 17, 2007 8:11 pm

Sorry folks I must disagree are we to go on letting our cattle to be slaughtered because they react to this proven unreliable skin test and let infected badgers run free,It takes the courage of your convictions to stand up to Defra who seem to think they are above the law .David Drew MP for Stroud spoke on Radio Gloucestershire Sunday he is a member of the EFRA committee,he said the TB vaccination must take place within the next two years , I agree ,This whole scenario has not moved on for the last 30 years ,I lived 2 miles from Woodchester Park where the Krebs trials took place in the 70s ,and believe me we we are no nearer a solution than we were then ,.so if Skanda Vale have the resources to fight their case good luck to them, we may all benifit in the long run. Sue

stew · Post by **stew** » Tue Jul 17, 2007 8:36 pm

theyve culled nearly 70 milkers next to me for tb
its been a closed heard for nearly 30 year
first thought was badgers but with it been isolated that has been ruled out then we thought it might be migraiting geese but the fingers point to feed brought in from down south

Issy · Post by **Issy** » Wed Jul 18, 2007 9:13 am

I know I am new to this but how can TB be in the feed? I thought it had to be animal to animal contact.

Broomcroft · Post by **Broomcroft** » Wed Jul 18, 2007 9:23 am

According to DEFRA feed is the main problem, at least in that it attracts badgers. Feeding in the field is worst thing you can do, and indoors is a problem if badgers find it. I'm not sure whether it actually gets into the feed though. But if TB can be left on water troughs and feed troughs then presumably if can be left in feed.

Licks as well. There's quite a lot you can to avoid TB apparently and it's all on DEFRA web site. Except they don't have an answer for licks except raise them or don't use them.

There's a link on the DBOinfo site on the Links page.

Sylvia · Post by **Sylvia** » Wed Jul 18, 2007 6:18 pm

If you raise licks so the nimble badger can't get to it I suspect it will be out of reach to a percentage of the Dexters as well.

If you double fence you incur not only the considerable cost of the fencing but the loss of the fenced strip as well. And human nature being what it is there is every likelihood that if the original boundary fence gets damaged you could well lose the strip permanently as your farm gets ever smaller. Cynical, who me?

Kathy Millar · Post by **Kathy Millar** » Fri Jul 20, 2007 4:02 am

Who is Shamba?

Broomcroft · Post by **Broomcroft** » Fri Jul 20, 2007 6:55 am

Kathy

Shamba is a bull owned by some Welsh Hindu's and he is sacred to them. He has TB which means he should be put down, but a court has given him a reprieve, so farmers are fairly angry at the double standards.

Here's a link to the story...

Timesonline.co.uk

redhill · Post by **redhill** » Fri Jul 20, 2007 4:53 pm

Or warmwell.com

Broomcroft · Post by **Broomcroft** » Fri Jul 20, 2007 7:04 pm

Yes, warmwell.com.

This is interesting...

http://www.warmwell.com/06jan28tbblogsanity.html

Kathy Millar · Post by **Kathy Millar** » Sat Jul 21, 2007 5:56 am

Thanks, Clive.

Louisa Gidney · Post by **Louisa Gidney** » Thu Jul 26, 2007 8:40 am

"The myth of the sacred but uneconomic cow is firmly entrenched in the Western view of India, and Hindu sentiments proscribing cattle slaughter provide a convenient cause to which to attribute the problems of India's milk sector, though researchers have highlighted the divergence between the ideal and the actual in the preaching and practice of cow slaughter. Records attest to the high mortality rates of nonbreeding cows: somehow more heifers of the sacred cow category appear to die young when compared to those of the profane buffalo species, though reference to the fact that the cow is the less economic milch animal of the two makes the situation explicable" from Operation Flood by Shanti George. If I was acting for DEFRA (god forbid!), I could have found many more quotes of this kind showing that "sacred" animals meet all sorts of unpleasant ends. I particularly dislike the "not killing" by tethering the poor beasts in the hot sun with no water. A bullet is quicker and kinder.

Sylvia · Post by **Sylvia** » Thu Jul 26, 2007 9:39 am

Well, he is supposed to be going today. I wonder how many supporters will turn out, in the pouring rain, to demonstrate their disapproval. If I was the demonstrating type I'd go down there with a large placard reading "Commonsense has prevailed at last".