Minefield

Kathy Millar · Post by **Kathy Millar** » Fri Sep 15, 2006 5:34 pm

Sylvia,

I do hope this will soon all be behind you. I can't imagine how it feels. Perhaps your sheep will help you get through all this. Shetlands aren't they? I will be visiting your area next fall so perhaps I could pay a visit. In the meantime, good luck to you.

Kathy

Sylvia · Post by **Sylvia** » Sat Sep 16, 2006 8:45 am

Thank youall of you who have posted kind and supportive messages about this rotten situation, I had hoped by raising this subject more people would have chipped in with their own experiences to open up a wider debate about the prevalence of bovine TB, surely I'm not the only one, their experiences and the effect on them and their herds of Dexters. It is not something that is much to the fore when Dexters are sold to newcomers I suspect.

If I remember rightly human TB is associated with poor living conditions. Owners need to be aware that bovine TB does not discriminate in this way. It can and does strike in herds receiving the best possible feeding, care and attention. Measures for trying to prevent it are draconian ie fencing the entire perimeter fence with a second fence 3 m inside it to prevent contact with neighbouring herds. The cost in fencing and loss of land is significant. And if you go to shows or hire out bulls you are gambling at an even higher level. Do most of you wish to 'keep quiet' about it?

Kathy, m'dear, you would be more than welcome to visit us next Autumn, when with a bit of luck I will have once more become the sunny, easy going person :p I usually am.

413rhino · Post by **413rhino** » Tue Sep 19, 2006 12:36 am

I went to my land this am to find a well grown strong bullock dead. I felt truly sick to my stomach and can only imagine how you must have felt. I really hope you overcome this setback. Cheers.

Sylvia · Post by **Sylvia** » Wed Sep 20, 2006 8:34 am

What a very nasty shock for you, 413rhino, have you found out what happened yet?

groubearfarm · Post by **groubearfarm** » Wed Sep 20, 2006 1:12 pm

Sylvia, I live in fear of something happening to my animals as has happened to you. Last year I had an inconclusive steer, and this year postponed my TB test for a month so that four of my cows could calve before the test, at least the calves had a chance of life if their mothers had gone down. This caused all kinds of complications as I was not allowed to have animals on or off the farm.
In Devon we live between farms that have TB and I know that there is a high chance it will get us one day. In many respects it is worse than foot and mouth because it is eating away at us and the government seem to be doing little to help. I don't understand how the RSPCA can support the protection of badgers either, cattle have just as much right to live as badgers - it is all a horrendous mess
I just hope things get better for you. Fiona

Sylvia · Post by **Sylvia** » Wed Sep 20, 2006 4:42 pm

Fiona, the cattle which have been in the field next to my steers all summer remain there. They are on tack and I don't know the owner. Have they been contacted for a test? It doesn't look like it. Meanwhile I don't want to put animals into my fields where the steers were for 2 months at least, so I have lovely new grass going to waste. Will I ever dare put any of my animals into a field adjoining other cattle again? I can't see it happening. You are right, the government (although it grinds into fairly quick action if a case is found) does not seem to be doing much, if anything, about checking contacts and preventing spread. It is a sorry state of affairs.

413rhino · Post by **413rhino** » Fri Sep 22, 2006 8:38 pm

No. I have no idea and that is the worse thing. The vet hadn't got a clue and said everything should be fine and the set up was ideal. A friend of mine had a similar thing with a steer, he saw it at 9am and it was dead by 9.20am. I'd seen this bullock at 7.30am and got a call at 9.30am to say it was dead???? Just one of those things I suppose but I still twitch when the others so much as lie down. Good luck with yours Sylvia.