January 21 2008 ~ From Diane ~ sends a useful reply to Helene
January 16 2008 ~ From Helene Towers ~ "A little while ago I was made aware that ducks, and other small animals, can literally 'dry out' if digesting too much lettuce or spinach because of the nitrate content. ..Any chance that the readers of your site can help?...."
January 10 2008 ~ From Anne Beasley ~ "....my soul is still affected by many issues that
happened on all sides during that tragedy, from govt mishandling to greed
from various sources at the animals expense..."
December 5 2007 ~ From Moira Linaker ~ "....and yet a machine is available - none of this makes sense to me.."
November 13 2007 ~ From Dan Cook ~ "......Clearly vaccination, if available, would be preferable, but having more than one weapon might be an appropriate step."
November 8 2007 ~ From Christina Speight ~ "Make a collossal mistake and then, to straighten the books, make the victims pay the price of their incompetence.."
November 6 2007 ~ From Betty Stikkers ~ "
it should be no
problem to send animals to the free area if bloodsampled"
November 6 2007 ~ From Ashley Shaw ~ "....rumours on the farmers' grapevine that the Queens Windsor herd of Jersey cattle was secretly vaccinated on orders from Downing St. The work was undertaken by army vets (Household Cavalry) ..."
November 3 2007 ~ From Lisa Norris ~ "....I tell you all this, not so you can post my show results on
Warmwell, or to look like I'm blowing my own trumpet, but to show you that it
is a good flock of sheep, not just a commercial flock and I am extremely proud
of my guys. So you can see exactly why I wish to keep hold of the flock, not
sell it or even worse, kill them because of a midge some 120 miles away in
Peterborough..."
November 2 2007 ~ From Peter Searle ~ Bluetongue vaccine "we need around 72 million doses.."
October 25 2007 ~ From Lawrence Wright ~".... why would the carcasses have got far enough through the system to require recall of the meat and announcements on the national news?"
October 23 2007 ~ From Jane Barribal ~ would like support for her petition to the Prime Minister for vaccine production for Bluetongue
October 15 2007 ~ From Huw Rowlands ~ His open letter to Hilary Benn "....It appears that the entire biosecurity and food safety policy of the U.K. is aimed at protecting agri-business and major producers and suppliers, and fails to distinguish between them and small, specialist, traditional producers such as myself...."
October 6 2007 ~ From Jane Ross ~
midge repellent "The recipe is my own; there are variations of it being used by thousands of people who have tweaked it to suit."
October 4 2007 ~ From Pat Rickett ~ DEFRA's List of Slaughterhouses in the bluetongue area contained many that had been closed for 5 YEARS and some of which were tiny slaughterhouses killing only 5 or 6 beasts a week for themselves...
October 3 2007 ~ From Ashley Shaw ~ "If my beautiful pedigree Jersey herd is taken out because of the incompetence, ignorance and sheer bloody mindedness of DEFRA, the EU and that ridiculous Dr.Reynolds then they had better beware..."
October 3 2007 ~ From Lawrence Wright ~ unbalanced reporting on Farming Today ".... would it really be more expensive to vaccinate all stock in a 10km ring than to kill so many uninfected animals on contiguous farms?"
October 2 2007 ~ From Michael Meredith ~ the vet and commentator From pighealth.com has some succinct words of advice for DEFRA.
October 1 2007 ~ From Rosemary Brown ~
"....Why are UK vets so reluctant to mention FMD and why is the outbreak almost ignored in the veterinary press? Their counterparts on the continent seem very ready to have EU legislation changed and have already shown their disapproval of our current measures....Our once proud nation will soon be the 'laughing stock' of the civilised world."
September 30 2007 ~ From Stuart Brown ~ ".... grandfather used to keep midges off his cattle and horses by using 20 gallons of water with one gallon of vinegar added and wipe the animal all over..."
September 29 2007 ~ From John Tuck ~"...There is good reason to believe that this country has been trading
fraudulently."
September 28 2007 ~ From John Burns ~ "....no effective vaccination against H5N1"??
September 27 2007 ~ From Susan Haywood ~ " In the 2001 outbreak I was one of those whose area (N.Pennines) was affected and was heartily and vociferously critical of DEFRA policy. So much so that I, together with a friend, wrote a book ..."
September 27 2007 ~ From Jacquita Allender ~ "the medieval and bloody slaughter continues......" and comments about Howard Dalton's Times letter.
September 26 2007 ~ From Nick Green ~ " I rang Reigate. "We are experiencing high levels of calls ........................ Press 1 for FMD or 2 for anything else.."
September 26 2007 ~ From Alicia Eykyn ~ "How heartening to read Roger Breeze once again getting so succinctly
to the nub of the problems.."
September 25 2007 ~ From Huw Rowlands ~ "Did I imagine registering my Red Polls on this register for vaccination in the event of a further FMD outbreak?"
September 25 2007 ~ From Anne Lambourn ~ letter written on the Scotsman website relating to the article by Dan Buglass today "My frustration with these loose comments being bandied around re vaccination is clear I think.."
September 22 2007 ~ From Norm Coates ~ Remembering the plumber who worked on the renovations to the Pirbright Level 4 lab at the end of August (see warmwell), Norm wonders about his route home from Pirbright to Hampton - through Egham
September 22 2007 ~ From Neil Oughton ~ The royal animals are now in real danger - what will the Cabinet decide?
September 22 2007 ~ From Lawrence Wright ~ "he quotes the official as saying that this was "asking people to believe improbable, on top of improbable, on top of improbable".
September 20 2007 ~ From John Burns ~ Successive UK Governments have justified EU membership by saying we have more influence within than without the EU.
... it should have no fear about its ability to help numerous other EU member states change the archaic rules relating to trade in products from FMD-vaccinated animals.
September 19 2007 ~ From Lawrence Wright - Sheep farmer: " I wonder how the public at large could be made aware that cattle can.... recover without major suffering. Public awareness of this might feed a groundswell of objection to the peremptory slaughter and its costs..."
September 18 2007 ~ From Hugh Boyes - TWELVE blue squares denoting the "Centres of zones" - of which only two are labelled with farm names - So what are the other 10 centres?
September 18 2007 ~ From Lawrence Wright - has also taken issue with the BBC about unbalanced and heavily edited reporting on vaccination today
September 17 2007 ~ From Hugh Boyes - has taken issue with the BBC about its reporting following his visit to warmwell
September 17 2007 ~ From Pat Innocent - yet another of the most effective campaigners of 2001 in the Forest of Dean, on the subject of deer.
September 17 2007 ~ From Jon Dobson - one of the most effective campaigners of 2001 writes, "... I can't believe we are hearing the same stories again, though this time even more worrying, as DEFRA should have more than enough manpower to ensure a correct handling of the outbreak."
September 16 2007 ~ From Chris Craghill - lived in Cumbria in 2001 "for MAFF in 2001 read DEFRA in 2007...."
September 15 2007 ~ From Huw Rowlands who rears traditional breed Red Poll cattle run as a beef suckler herd. Frustrated and angry, he wants vaccination
September 15 2007 ~ From Robert Persey
"....the Government has been allowing the composting of meat and feathers on farms in open windrows. Incredibly some of these activities are taking place on livestock farms with the connivance of state vets...illegal under the provisions of the Animal By Products Order 2005..."
September 15 2007 ~ From Ruth Watkins The virologist/farmer fears the coming of Bluetongue ~ and as for FMD ".... Surely it is not beyond the wit of man and woman to create a vaccination zone in the South of England and try and return farming to near normality in the rest of Britain?"
September 14 2007 ~ From Michael Greaves with some political speculation
September 14 2007 ~ From Hilary Peters whose real food diary 2002-2005 (new window) was a joy and whose succinct wisdom here is irrefutable.
September 13 2007 ~ And more From Norm Coates "Where do the occupants of the portacabin call home?"
September 13 2007 ~ From Norm Coates, consders the stream and makes some more observations
i
September 12 2007 ~ From Rosemary Brown - "Surely it must now be obvious to the 'powers that be' that vaccination is the only way that this and other diseases can be eradicated..."
September 12 2007 ~ From Huw Rowlands on vaccination ironies.
August 19 2007 ~ From Robert Persey (mystery disease as a result of meat composting? " I strongly believe that supermarket meat in packaging is still going to landfill".)
August 15 2007 ~ From John Tuck
Wiltshire farmer
- (shortage of funding
for IAH Pirbright in particular and for DEFRA's contingency plans in
general)
August 15 2007 ~ From Mary Marshall, participant in the EU-funded FMD & CSF Coordination Action ( Informed comment about UK progress with rapid diagnostic PCR and NSP vaccines)
August 15 2007 ~ From Peter and Suzanne Greehill (with the text of Mrs Greenhill's letter, published in the Telegraph yesterday.)
August 14 2007 ~ From Michael Greaves - (. A refreshing bit of candour here as well as first-hand investigation and thoughtful deduction from our Barrister correspondent)
August 13 2007 ~ From Rosemary Brown veterinary nurse - ("corned beef.... I happened to glance at the label and discovered that it was produced in Brazil for John West Foods of Liverpool..... I fail to see why our farmers are going to suffer for months yet because of the ban on exporting British meat, when we are importing from countries where vaccination is the norm.")
August 13 2007 ~ From Dr Paul Sutmoller, Chair of the Animal Health Committee ELA - European Livestock Association, wrote to the Sunday Times (his letter here) to reply to Sir Brian Follett's article. He invited warmwell to reproduce it in its full version here.
August 12 2007 ~ From Andrés Perez - ("next time we should collect samples in milk from the beginning")
August 12 2007 ~ From Mary Marshall,
Participant in the EU-funded FMD & CSF Coordination Action - on bulk milk testing research
August 12 2007 ~ From Michael Greaves, 2nd email - (his observations suggest the Telegraph stream theory is 'daft'. Uphill flow? But see later email from Michael Greaves)
August 12 2007 ~ From Norm Coates, 3rd email - (shows us the position of the stream and makes some more observations)
August 11 2007 ~ From Dr Ruth Watkins, virologist - (on why vaccination is not openly discussed by DEFRA)
August 11 2007 ~
From Mary Marshall, EU-funded FMD & CSF Coordination Action - ( the advantage of testing for virus is that infection can be detected before clinical signs appear )
August 10 2007 ~ From Peter Greenhill Chairman, Mitchells Auction Company,. Cockermouth - (rapid tests on farm)
August 10 2007 ~ From Dr Colin Fink Virologist & Hon. Senior Lecturer in Biological Sciences University of Warwick - ( reason why vaccine for this outbreak should be used sooner rather than later)
August 10 2007 ~ From Jane Barribal at Farmtalking - (she has started a petition to allow vaccination 'to live' now for Foot and Mouth Disease Protection)
August 10 2007 ~ From Nick Green - ( who has been making enquiries about the use of on-site tests and the belated decision to close foopaths)
August 10 2007 ~ From E. Smithson - an English farmer with an ironic query
August 9 2007 ~ From Robert Persey - (query about the presence of composting centres handling catering or category three meat waste in the FMD area)
August 9 2007 ~ From Ben Moxon (a local - on the deer around the area of the outbreak)
August 8 2007- From Miriam Roberts - (the identity of the possible lab leak in 1981)
August 8 2007- From Huw Rowlands farmer of rare breed Red Poll cattle in Cheshire - ( fully in favour of vaccination and with forceful reasons why)
August 8 2007- From Nick Green of Cumbria, 2001 hero, (on the BBC interview with David Catlow -" I stopped eating my cornflakes and wondered how Catlow would respond...")
August 7 2007- From Ken Tyrell - (who was a young vet when FMD virus escaped from Pirbright in 1960)
August 7 2007- From Bryn Wayt - (extraordinary news on rapid diagnosis being used in Surrey)
August 7 2007- From John Brooks -
(Is ignorance any defence when DEFRA does not communicate?)
August 7 2007- From Margaret Shackles - (on the presence of pedigree goats; acclaimed
Ashdene and Theban herds of British Toggenburg and British Saanen dairy
goats, arguably the best goats in the UK - at risk in the Protection Zone)
August 7 2007- From Lawrence Wright - (A letter both to us and to Farmers Weekly on the subject of virus spread and vaccination)
August 7 2007- From Sabine Zentis - (by the time clinical signs are obvious the virus is already on the move to claim the next victim.
The Government should stop listening to useless "consultants" and use vaccination before it is too late. )
August 7 2007- From Michael Greaves - (on the "gravity defying pathogen" - flooding travelling uphill? )
August 7 2007- From Jonathan Miller, journalist at jonathanmiller.wordpress.com has been in touch and has launched back into the fray against some of the recurring stupidities we hoped never to see again after 2001
August 7 2007- From Lawrence Wright 2nd email - (on flooding and infection in deer)
August 7 2007- From Adrianne Smythe farmer - (on the nonsense about vaccination spreading the disease)
August 6 2007- From Vickie Rogers at the Farmers Guardian with useful links to FG stories today
August 6 2007- From Jo Rider, 2nd email - (references to the cuts made in Pirbright's funding, the effects of that on the new Lab and the suggestion that there are builders on site - are they showering and following the 3/5 day rule too, one wonders?)
August 6 2007- From Norm Coates, 2nd email - (looks as geographical position of index farm land and queries movements on and off before FMD discovered)
August 6 2007- From Joyce Ross, farming on Hebridean island - (query about Pirbright security)
August 6 2007- From Jo Rider, farmer - ( interestingly, the same query about Pirbright security)
August 6 2007- From Norm Coates, Nr Richmond, west of Sydney, Australia - (questions about spread from Pirbright)
August 6 2007- From Judy Tuthill - ( dairy farmer in New York about zones + our reply)
August 6 2007- From Miriam Roberts - ( reminder of a previous escape of virus from Pirbright)
August 5 2007- From Henry Curteis - (confused about vaccination decision + our reply)
August 5 2007- From Andrés Perez at the FMD Surveillance, University of California at Davis - (on confusion over virus strain name)
August 5 2007- From Chris Craghill - (on humane slaughter)
August 5 2007- From Christina Speight - (On the distance between Pirbright and Woolfords Farm)
August 5 2007- From Patrick Rust - (on "limited use" by Pirbright of the outbreak strain)
August 5 2007- From Theresa and Ian Henderson -- Brecon Beacons - (on humane killing)
August 5 2007- From Robert Persey -(2nd email. On misinformation about 2001 source)
August 5 2007- From Sabine Zentis - specialist farmer - (on whether animals experimented on enter the food chain)
August 5 2007- From Lawrence Wright - sheep farmer - (on the mystery of the shrinking distance between Pirbright and Enfield)
August 4 2007- From John Cresswell -sheep farmer - (on supermarket behaviour at times of crisis)
August 4 2007- From Charles Abel,
- (Head of Content at the Farmers Weekly Group with useful links)
August 4 2007- From Pat Rickett - Northamptonshire farmer - (on speed the BCMS needs - in theory - accurately to check ear tags)
August 4 2007- From Robert Persey - (campaigning with Association of Swill Users for compensation for swill feeders on potential dangers of unregulated waste recycling )
From Diane January 21 2008
Hello Mary
in reply to Helene Towers email of Jan 16th..
Years ago we were also warned off from feeding lettuce as it positively causes animals such as guinea pigs to become light & die, or to acquire a non-stop hemorrhagic diorreaha in rabbits & degu etc. & was told it was because of the high laudanum content in lettuce, & for years I actually believed that.
After reading Helene's email that reminded me of the unfounded above mentioned! But have found facts about Spinach & Lettuce in a book called;
The Food Doctor Healing foods for mind & body by;
Vicki Edgson Dip ION & Ian Marber Dip ION
Page 15 Spinach
Nutrients; Beta - carotene, folic acid, potassium, iron, vitamins B6 & C, calcium, magnesium.
Benefits; Anti-cancer, regulates blood pressure. Boosts the immune system. Supports bone health, A perfect food.
Page 25 Lettuce
Nutrients; Beta - carotene, folic acid, potassium, magnesium.
Benefits; Anti-spasmodic. Contains silicon, which supports bones, joints arteries & connective tissue.
Regards
Diane
From Helene Towers Jan 16 2008
Dear Mary,
not about H5N1 this time - although that is in the news again and hopefully Defra will feel pushed enough to release vaccines for private holdings - but something entirely different. But it does have to do with animal welfare.
A little while ago I was made aware that ducks, and other small animals, can literally 'dry out' if digesting too much lettuce or spinach because of the nitrate content. I've tried like mad to gather information on the subject. M. Gregory's "Lettuce as a suspected cause of narcosis in a duckling" can no longer be viewed on the web, my posting on the forum of smallholder has had no replies for over a week. All I can find is loads of stuff about ducks dying on the salt lakes of America and how nitrate can be good for humans.
Any chance that the readers of your site can help? Here's hoping!
Thanking you in advance,
Helene [Towers].
From Anne Beasley Jan 2008
Hi Mary
I have put together a small video with some suitable music which reflects
the horrors of 2001.
It is made up of pictures that were in circulation at the time, some clips
from various sources which marry in with the scenes and an introduction to
the little video that I made just to show the clip is in memory of all the
animals lost, the end one just saying lest we forget and that you should
keep up the work to prevent further needless killings.
I have burnt a copy onto a CD which will play on computers fine and wondered
if you would like one for your files.
It does make hard watching, although not gorey as in rubberneck type gorey
interest, it is more the heartwrenching reminder of what people such as
yourself work so hard to stop happening again, or the mishandling shall we
say!
The Cd is not for sale or anything it was just put together from my heart
where it is obvious that my soul is still affected by many issues that
happened on all sides during that tragedy, from govt mishandling to greed
from various sources at the animals expense, as always.
Glad you try to speak for them, keep up the good work.
Let me know if you would like me to do you a CD and where to send and I will
get it done and posted, tissues nearby before watching is the only advice.
Kind Regards
Anne
From Moira Linaker, Cumbria
Dear Mary
Foot & Mouth
I remember in 2001 attending a meeting to hear Professor Fred Brown speak and where he demonstrated the small machine for use at the farm gate that would not take rocket science to use.
Prof Brown must be turning in his grave at the way the government have allowed Foot & Mouth to leak from drains and yet again the only action taken was to cull thousands of animals costing God knows how much. And yet a machine is available - none of this makes sense to me.
I do know, heaven forbid, any disease coming to Cumbria I will challenge and demand testing "validated"or not.
I fought the so called powers that be in 2001 and kept my sheep and I will make an even bigger stand the next time.
I made a vow in 2001 never to let any Defra so-called vet on my property and as far as I am concerned this still stands and always will. I told Defra in 2001 they would have to cull me before one of my sheep. Now they would have to get past my 10 stone Italian Mastiff
(and the media who would already have been invited in beforehand.)
In Fighting Mode Again
Moira
November 13 From Dan Cook
Dear Mary,
I am sure that the anxiety I feel about what 2008 might bring the UK livestock industry is shared by most other livestock keepers, with Bluetongue taking us into uncharted territory.
Bluetongue has been present in many other countries for years and I understand that in the US at least, a fair degree of resistance is now shown in the sheep population.
Thinking longer term, I wonder whether we should be trying to introduce such resistance into our flocks through breeding programs or will we be forced to go through the horrors of allowing our flocks to be selected for resistance naturally through large losses. Clearly vaccination, if available, would be preferable, but having more than one weapon might be an appropriate step.
Regards
Dan Cook
From Christina Speight November 8 2007
Defra louses it up again - Guess who pays
Can Defra do anything right ever? All the bureaucrats and politicians at the heart of this continued shambles should resign forthwith. This is precisely reminiscent on a smaller scale of the way that this government acted over the due payments to farmers. Make a colossal mistake and then, to straighten the books, make the victims pay the price of their incompetence.
This may “cost the councils dear” but once again it’s the farmers and their animals that will ultimately pay
Christina
From Betty Stikkers, Fair Isle Shetland
5394 LG OIJEN
The Netherlands
Dear Mary
Till the end of June we in the Netherlands were divided in a restricted area
and free area. We had a show in the free area in June and had to bloodsample
our sheep; they could then go to the show and return the same day. I don't
understand the behaviour of Defra. Especially in this season there should be no
problem in sending animals to the free area if bloodsampled.
What is DEFRA's problem? (if any?)
From Ashley Shaw Nov 5 2007
Hi Mary,
Just to let you know that my herd of pedigree Jersey cows have now been blood tested (twice !) and in both cases the results have come back negative. It is a great relief ! My campaign for routine vaccination will go on regardless.
As a point of interest I have been hearing rumours on the farmers grapevine that the Queen's Windsor herd of Jersey cattle was secretly vaccinated on orders from Downing St. The work was undertaken by army vets (Household Cavalry) as they have signed the Official Secrets Act. I can just picture the Daily Mail headline "New Labour wipe out Queens Cows" - too much for Mr.Brown (Ironic that name as it was John Brown, with Queen Victoria, who started the Windsor herd). I did contact the NFU about this but have only received the usual meaningless reply (no change there then).I expect Peter Kendall will still get his knighthood.
I have also heard that Dr.Debby Reynolds is off sick at present. I have enquired as to if it is a virus so that we can cull her and her immediate friends and family as dangerous contacts.
Well done on your excellent site and work..
Regards,
Ashley
( Ashley's last comment here is an understandably black joke caused by the frustration so many of us feel. Whether or not the royal cows were vaccinated it is certainly true that Debby Reynolds is absent because of serious illness. Of course, we all wish her well and hope she will have a full recovery.)
From Lisa Norris ~ Nov 4 2007
Dear Mary,
Thank-you so much for your concern, it means so much that other people care
about what is happening not only to me, but to everyone who is affected by this
terrible disease.
My situation is as follows:
On Wednesday 17th October, due to a positive case of BTV in the
Peterborough area, the then protection zone was extended to cover a huge area
of England. We became enclosed approximately 3 miles within the zone and so
due to BTV movement restrictions are now unable to move my flock of
sheep. Unfortunately for us, we have just bought a small farm in North
Wales and were making preparations to move there which now are at a standstill
due entirely to not being able to take the sheep. Our current place is sold
subject to contract and we have been able to extend the completion date to the
end of December which gives me some breathing space. Our purchasers need a
definite date for vacant possession which we are unable to give at the moment.
The ewes will start lambing in February and ideally, I would like the sheep
with me as soon as possible. The Welsh Assembly are not accepting live animals
in to Wales, my EXD100 application to move the sheep has been turned down,
DEFRA are unsympathetic, their (and the Welsh Assembly's) suggestion has
been
1. slaughter the flock or
2. sell the flock (which I would be unable to do anyhow as Carlisle
(in-lamb ewe sale) is not in either the surveillance or protection
zones)
I am not prepared to consider either of these options as I
have built up a flock of around 200 pedigree Bluefaced Leicesters
(approximately 95% homebred) which includes this years ewe and ram lambs
to be sold next year as shearlings and those lambs destined for the freezer.
The sheep trade has crashed through the floor this Autumn as evidenced at the
breeding sales and also the fat lamb/store lamb trade.
Feed prices have
rocketed so no-one wants to feed extra mouths over the winter.
I have only
been in the Bluefaced Leicesters for nearly 10 years, but have only been seriously breeding
them for the last 6 and I have been showing them since 2004 with a small
degree of success. (Actually, I have had Breed Champ at the Royal Welsh plus
made the final 6 non-mv accredited interbreed at the Royal Welsh; Breed Champ
at Shrops and West Mids; Reserve male breed champ Royal Welsh twice;
Interbreed champ Hope show and reserve interbreed champ Poynton show; 2nd
reserve breed champ Royal show; breed champ any other variety Staffs county
and 6th Interbreed championship Staffs County. Last year I had 1st prize ewe
lamb Royal Welsh out of 29 and also 1st and 2nd prize ram lambs out of
28. All these have been with homebred sheep. I also have a homebred ram
that was graded as Elite Plus last year at Oswestry progeny show along side
his 3 ewe lambs and the four of them were Reserve overall progeny show
winners. I tell you all this Mary not so you can post my show results on
Warmwell, or to look like I'm blowing my own trumpet, but to show you that it
is a good flock of sheep, not just a commercial flock and I am extremely proud
of my guys. So you can see exactly why I wish to keep hold of the flock, not
sell it or even worse, kill them because of a midge some 120 miles away in
Peterborough)
I am extremely upset and more than a little angry at the situation,
about which I can do nothing. I was shocked at the suggestion that I would
probably have to slaughter my sheep. Do they not realise what is happening
within the livestock industry? The BTV movement restrictions are far more
extreme than for F&M. At least there was some provision with F&M for
welfare movements, with BTV its just "tough!" I have stated that I am more
than willing to have the whole flock blood tested to prove that they are not
infected pre movement to Wales and would also comply with requirements to
thoroughly spray the inside of the vehicle with insecticide. I find it utterly
incredible that animals only 3 miles away can move quite happily in to Wales
and other "clean" parts of the UK with no problems whereas I, and others in
similar positions so close to the lines on a map, cannot. I have not moved any
livestock on to the farm since the first outbreak of F&M at the beginning
of August with the exception of 4 homebred sheep that I was unsuccessful at
selling at Welshpool BFL society sale on October 10th. I may buy in 1 or 2
sheep from the society sales in the Autumn (usually tups) but no more than
this. I have worked very hard at building up this flock from scratch. We
cannot afford the high prices that BFL's usually go for, so I have tried to
improve the genetic make-up of the flock gradually each year by carefully
selecting which ewe goes to what ram and assessing each resulting lamb.
I cannot just go out and replace this flock as if they were a commercial mule
flock.
I have emailed a letter to my MP and also to Bill Wiggin, Shadow
Agricultural Minister explaining my plight. I have spoken to Adrian Briggs who
is my Area NFU livestock spokesman and he has in turn written to more senior
members within the NFU. Helen Davies is meeting with Stakeholders and the
Welsh Assembly this Thursday to put my case, but we are not very hopeful of a
positive outcome. Surely with a negative blood test result and stringent
precautions, livestock should be able to move to all parts of the
country?
So, salient points.
1. Have bought a property in North Wales which is outside the BTV
zones
2. Now 3 miles as the crow flies within the BTV surveillance zone but
about 120 miles away from nearest infected premises
3. Cannot move sheep to the new place and have sold current property but
purchasers need a vacant possession on our place
4. Was told by DEFRA and Welsh Assembly (week of 17th Oct) option is to
slaughter the flock as currently no movements out of BTV zones
permitted
5. Have filled in an EXD100 form but have been refused
movement exemptions
6. Pedigree flock, mainly homebred with high genetic merit, not a
commercial flock that I can replace easily
7. Could not sell flock even if I wanted to as Carlisle (in-lamb ewe
sale) is outside BTV zone
8. No movements on to farm except for 4 unsold sheep brought back from
Welshpool (outside BTV zones) society sale on 10th Oct since first F&M
outbreak 2007
9. More than willing to have entire flock blood tested to prove not
infected pre movement to Wales
10. Extremely angry and upset by inflexibility of rules which will cause
suffering to and kill more animals than the disease itself will
11. Extremely worried that all of England made in to protection zone, so
no chance of us being able to move to Wales, let alone sheep moving
there
12. Situation causing great stress and anxiety for the whole family, not
just me
13. Have emailed MP and Shadow Agricultural MP with problem and am
awaiting replies, NFU informed of situation as have breed
society
14. Case being heard on Thursday 8th November by Stakeholders and the
Welsh Assembly
15. I cant afford to live in Wales and commute in to the BTV zone to
rented grazing and buildings every day for a minimum of the next 2 years post
last BTV case
Sorry it is a bit long winded Mary, but it
is not easy for me to condense it down to a short paragraph for you, hence the
bullet points! It would be great for this to be on the Warmwell site, I feel
more than a little guilty though when I think about people like Frank Langrish
who has a very real welfare problem and can do nothing much to help his sheep
when my sheep have grass and haylage but just cant move house.... Then I
think, well, my sheep aren't in the infected areas and it is a welfare issue if
they are made homeless in a couple of months and I can't get them to Wales. It
will bankrupt me and my family having to commute backwards and forwards to
rented grazing and buildings so then I will be forced to either sell up
or slaughter my sheep.
Many thanks once again for your support,
Best wishes,
Lisa
From Peter Searle Nov 2 2007
I read that Defra will determine how many doses of vaccine are required and that this will be a number in the range 10 to 20 million.
I understand that to achieve an adequate level of protection in a population it is necessary to vaccinate 80% of that population.
Defra estimates that there are 10 million cattle and 36 million sheep in the UK. If a single dose of vaccine per animal is needed then we need around 36 million doses. If, as is the case with many vaccines, two doses per animal is needed then we need around 72 million doses.
Are my assumptions false or is my arithmetic incorrect?
Peter Searle
(I think you are right that two doses are needed for cattle, I am not sure about sheep. I also think your arithmetic whether right or wrong shows the shortfall. It's not looking good, is it? See Farming Today transcript)
From Jane Barribal at farmtalking.com
Hi Mary!
Could you please draw attention to this Petition (below) on Warmwell? -
Thanks very much - Jane
Please sign the petition to the Prime Minister calling for Bluetongue
vaccines now! - http://petitions.pm.gov.uk/Bluetongue/
We need over 200 signatures for it to be presented to the Prime
Minister so please sign up before 22nd November.
The vaccine is urgently needed.
From Huw Rowlands Oct 15th
Dear Mary,
My open letter to Hilary Benn was published in the Chester Standard on 07/10/2007 where it is available online, but, alas, I don't think was published anywhere else.
22/09/2007
Rt. Hon. Hilary Benn,
M.P.
House of Commons
London
SW1A 0AA
Dear Mr Benn,
Foot & Mouth Disease: An
Open Letter
As a breeder of rare breed Red
Poll cattle, I am writing to you to plead that you change the policy attempting
to contain and eradicate foot and mouth disease through a policy of cruel and
indiscriminate slaughter. The recurrence of the disease in Surrey would not have
happened had ring vaccination to create a firewall taken place in August, and
yet we find ourselves in the ludicrous position of having a laboratory full of
the requisite vaccine not only in the centre of the affected area, but also
apparently having caused the outbreak in the first place. Vaccination should
also be used to protect the nation’s rare breed livestock which are genetically
irreplaceable, and for which no financial compensation would suffice to cover
the loss of a unique resource. Vaccines are now available with which it is
possible to differentiate between animals exposed to the virus and those
inoculated, therefore rendering spurious the argument against vaccination for
fear of Britain losing its foot and mouth disease free status.
Indeed, the relevance of such
status itself needs to be questioned. It is my understanding that the net
financial value of beef, lamb and pork imports exceeds that of exports, meaning
that the U.K. is trading at a loss. In any case, particularly at times of
crisis, supermarkets will import meat to make up for any shortfall, with much of
it coming from countries in South America where foot and mouth disease is
endemic. It appears that the entire biosecurity and food safety policy of the
U.K. is aimed at protecting agri-business and major producers and suppliers, and
fails to distinguish between them and small, specialist, traditional producers
such as myself. Further, whether intentionally or not, it is actually
prejudicial to the future of producers like me who have no interest in exports
of animals, dead or alive. We are building a niche market, diversifying, farm in
an environmentally and animal-welfare friendly way, encourage visitors to come
and see how their food is produced, constructing local networks involving
conservationists, educationalists, retailers and other groups, and yet we find
it increasingly difficult to survive because our produce is caught up in the
same bureaucratic and administrative jungle as manufactured and factory-farmed
food produced by agri-business.
The policy of culling is cruel,
morally indefensible, and has been proven a failure. In the interests of animal
welfare, the livelihood of small and specialist producers, the economy, and the
image abroad of the United Kingdom, it is time to vaccinate.
Yours sincerely,
Huw Rowlands
Best wishes,
Huw Rowlands
www.redpollbeef.eu
From Jane Ross October 6 2007
Dear Mary,
In reply to readers with small flocks/herds, the following pour-on (which I make up as a fly repellent for my horses) might be of interest.
100ml of citronella oil,
50ml meths,
50ml washing up liquid. (I use the cheapest own brand from Tesco washing up liquid.)
Mix all together and finally make up to 2litres with VERY strong tea.
Allow to cool.
Then use as necessary by wiping over animal (short coats) or simply pouring on down back line (sheep) This really does work and none of my horses suffer with flies for up to 8 hrs after application.
This is my own recipe and not tested in any way. I can only report my own findings but it is cheap.
Citronella oil has been used for many decades in fly repellents, but last year or perhaps the year before, EU regulations banned it in horse fly repellants. BUT, it was made clear that citronella oil could continue to be used so long as the preparations such as I have described were made up for own use only, and that the ingredients should purchased in separate commodities.
It cannot be sold on the open market.. But there was nothing in the regulations to ban sharing of recipes!
Hope this helps. The recipe is my own; there are variations of it being used by thousands of people who have tweaked it to suit.
Jane Ross
From Pat Rickett 4 October 2007
Dear Mary
Have just heard that a group of Livestock Auctioneers took a deputation to DEFRA Headquarters to explain the difficulties in getting stock slaughtered within the Bluetongue restriction zone - only to be shown a List of Slaughterhouses in the area some of which had been closed for 5 YEARS and some of which were tiny slaughterhouses killing only 5 or 6 beasts a week for themselves.
Do we suppose that DEFRA is still paying Vets (foreign probably) and Meat Inspectors to police these non-existent slaughterhouses, all of which were closed down by themselves at the behest
of supposed EU Regulations.
The pesticide recommended by DEFRA for spraying the inside of your vehicles when transporting to the slaughterhouse (if you can find one) does apparently does NOT kill midges, and is not licensed for use on animals. I do understand today from our local Animal Health Office that they are no longer insisting on the animals being sprayed!
Any abattoir in the surveillance zone is now completely snowed under with all the animals that previously would have gone to slaughterhouses outside it. What is the NFU doing? What is the RSPCA doing about the attendant welfare problems - just about as much as they did in 2001 -- ABSOLUTELY NOTHING.
I suppose we should not be surprised at all this - lest we forget some classic DEFRA nuggets - e.g. What Breed of Cattle is Ditto? When did you purchase the homebred heifer? Is your bull a male or a female? etc.
Perhaps DEFRA should issue Midges with digital maps of the surveillance zone - this of course may present a problem in itself since DEFRA has a problem with getting maps right!
They cannot get more stupid.
You are becoming very famous! Recommended in the best journals!
Kind regards
Pat
25 October 2007 From Lawrence Wright
Dear Mary,
I too would find it completely outrageous if sheep treated with a dangerous chemical had been sent for slaughter within the minimum withdrawal period.
But the reports I have heard make little sense. The BBC reports say that the offending substance was doramectin, used as a treatment for sheep scab. If so, the report that the abattoir vet thought he could smell sheep dip must be nonsense.
The only doramectin treatment for sheep listed on the NOAH compendium is an injection with a withdrawal period of 70 days (an organic farmer using it would be required to double this period to 140 days).
There is a ‘pour-on’ listed for use on cattle - but not for use on sheep - so if the vet could smell it, it had been misused: and if the vet had cause for suspicion that the lambs had been treated illegally, why would the carcasses have got far enough through the system to require recall of the meat and announcements on the national news?
The answer is to buy organic meat directly from the farmer in the local Farmers’ Market.
Best wishes,
Lawrence
Middle Campscott Farm
Lee
Ilfracombe
Devon
www.middlecampscott.co.uk
From Ashley Shaw Oct 3 2007
Dear Mary
Please could you add this link to your excellent site.
If my beautiful pedigree Jersey herd is taken out because of the incompetence, ignorance and sheer bloody mindedness of DEFRA, the EU and that ridiculous Dr.Reynolds then they had better beware.
http://petitions.pm.gov.uk/DairyCattle/#detail "We the undersigned petition the Prime Minister to Vaccinate as a routine all UK DAIRY herds against F&M."
Ashley Shaw
PS Question One to South East NFU (from Ashley)
Why can' t we just vaccinate our cattle and get on with life. Why does the NFU NOT support vaccination for FMD BUT does for IBR, BVD, Lepto and will support Bluetongue when that becomes available.....Some straight answers please and not the export / europe line etc etc.. we are a sovereign state I believe....
Question Two (3 days later)
No reply to my question and comments re vaccination of cattle. Perhaps if there was no compensation the NFU would support this option. Just 30 pence per cow and we avoid this blood letting..................so we can't export to Angola..so what...
Reply from the South East NFU -
I apologise for the delay in responding to you - we are a small team here in the regional office, and as you can appreciate, we are snowed under trying to deal with members queries on what they can and cannot do given the FMD restrictions and now the Bluetongue restrictions, apart from dealing with animal welfare issues.
As far as the NFU is concerned, vaccination is indeed one of the tools available to us to meet our objective of controlling and eradicating FMD. However, it is not up to us to make any decision on its use. Any decision around vaccination during an FMD outbreak will be guided by EU and UK legislation and will involve veterinary risk assessment. The NFU has supported the UK Government’s actions in preparing the vaccination teams - this action is in line with the UK FMD disease control strategy. These teams have now been stood down, as the veterinary assessment is that the disease is currently under control. A decision to introduce emergency vaccination may be made when outbreaks threaten to become widespread, or when other EU Member States are at risk. Such a decision would normally be made by EU Standing Committee procedure, either at the request of the EU Member State directly affected, a Member State at risk, or initiated by the EU Commission itself in consultation with the affected Member State . While the current outbreak is being dealt with using surveillance, monitoring and culling for disease control purposes, there is currently no justification to introduce an active vaccination regime as a disease control tool
I think it called towing the party line...these people make me so angry !!A
ends
I would guess that all readers of warmwell will be feeling for you. Your letter shows how people like us simply cannot comprehend why - when modern and robust vaccines exist that have proved their worth in other countries - the UK does not choose to use them - preferring to defend their indefensible 2001 stance instead of pressing with EU partners to change those outdated EU trade rules. It is heartbreaking for all of us - but I am desperately hoping it will not turn out to be heartbreaking personally for you, Ashley.
From the farmer Lawrence Wright Oct 3 2007
Dear Mary,
Can you listen to this morning's Farming Today? They picked up the request for views on vaccination and wheeled out a veterinary epidemiologist called Nick Taylor from Reading University. He said that the ring vaccination I had proposed could be done with, for example, a 10km ring: but we would still need movement restrictions and surveillance and culling where disease was found. The gain would be that there would be no more outbreaks: but we might not get any more outbreaks anyway and the ring might not necessarily work. There might be other outbreaks found outside the ring and then more and yet more vaccination would be needed and it might get very expensive. It was a question of balancing costs and risks and at the moment it would be best to wait and see.
He then dealt with the suggestion, ascribed to Dan Cook from Wiltshire, that the EU rules for export should be changed. He declared that this would mean a return to the situation on the Continent in the past when stock had to be routinely vaccinated. The vaccine was not 100% effective and disease could arise as a result of accidents with the vaccine. He mentioned Saudi Arabia where the high value dairy herds need to be vaccinated every 4 months and South America where the animals are vaccinated annually.
His assumptions and interpretations were not challenged. For example, would it really be more expensive to vaccinate all stock in a 10km ring than to kill so many uninfected animals on contiguous farms? His conclusion that changing the timescale for the resumption of trading after eradication of FMD by vaccination would mean permanent use of vaccination throughout the EU seemed perverse in the extreme - but the compliant interviewer did nothing to pick this up. Very frustrating! I will email them again: but it might be helpful if someone who really knows what they are talking about, like Colin Fink or Ruth Watkins contacted them.
Lawrence
www.middlecampscott.co.uk
From Michael Meredith at pighealth.com October 2 2007
Hi Mary
Defra and EU foot and mouth controls do seem to waste a lot of healthy animals and edible meat, plus scatter movement restrictions over large areas for damaging periods of time. Recent nationwide restrictions (at times reaching far into remote areas of Scotland and Wales) seemed rather "Over The Top" for isolated outbreaks of FMD vaccine strain around a vaccine production unit in Surrey. The Defra response seemed to be based more on indiscriminate panic, than any practical or science-based rationale.
Is this another case (like the 2001 epidemic) of Defra fighting today's battles with yesterday's mindset?
I can see the point in imposing a widespread movement ban for the first 48 hours after a FMD outbreak, but after that control measures surely need to be much more focussed i.e. based on tracings and risk assessments - unless of course the virus is clearly going wildly out of control.
The reason I say this is that economic health of the livestock industry is paramount in stopping disease spread. When a farmer's business - that he or she may have worked and struggled all their life to build up (maybe even handed down in the family for generations) - faces collapse, the owners face a very stark prospect: "Obey the biosecurity rules and lose the farm". What I have seen again and again in epidemics is that many people in this desperate (i.e. facing business collapse or cruel neglect of livestock needs) situation will choose to take a "calculated risk" to "bend" or break movement restriction rules. In some of these cases, the animals of these desperate folks WILL harbour or spread the virus.
So it's no use having clever biosecurity precautions, if desperate folks facing ruin are going to break the rules. National movement bans must be absolutely kept to a minimum and the economic health of the
industry supported - the poor economic state of the sheep industry was a major factor leading to the 2001 epidemic being so severe.
Michael Meredith
www.pighealth.com
From Rosemary Brown October 1 2007
Dear Mary
I can't believe that this 'small'. 'contained' outbreak is showing no sign of being under control. The misery and anxiety of all livestock owners within the surveillance zones and beyond will know no bounds. Already there are more premises culled out without confirmation of infection than there are premises where infection has been confirmed. Two months export trade has already been lost. and it will be months before normal trading within the home market will be resumed. Are the DEFRA officials and their advisers completely lacking in common sense or do they just enjoy killing sentient and valuable farm stock? Or do they just enjoy the feelings of power over lesser humans who are no longer allowed to object to their healthy stock being killed?
The new Animal Welfare Legislation puts the onus on animal keepers to protect their charges from illness and injury, but the government prevents those who wish to abide by this law and prevent their stock from becoming infected with FMD, from using the modern vaccines which have been developed. It is high time we all rebelled against our 'Nanny' state and insisted on those who wish to vaccinate being allowed to. A couple of weeks ago I understood Dr Debby Reynolds to have said that if there were any more cases vaccination would be considered. There have been three more cases plus several 'slaughter on suspicion' culls since but to my knowledge vaccination has not been mentioned again. She constantly refers to the 'humane' slaughter which culling involves. From what I have seen it is definitely 'inhumane'.
Why are UK vets so reluctant to mention FMD and why is the outbreak almost ignored in the veterinary press? Their counterparts on the continent seem very ready to have EU legislation changed and have already shown their disapproval of our current measures, saying that we should be using vaccination on 'welfare grounds'.
Once upon a time we were considered to be a country where animal welfare was of prime importance, and I think that among the general population that view is still held.
The average member of the public is horrified that vaccination is not being used to eradicate the disease, but feel that they lack the knowledge to voice their feelings. After all, we all know how many fatal diseases in both humans and animals have been eradicated by the use of vaccines. Why should FMD be any different now that we have effective vaccines?
Our once proud nation will soon be the 'laughing stock' of the civilised world.
Why was I so naive as to think that after the 2001 fiasco, which cost the country millions financially and immeasurable loss of morale within the farming industry, we would abandon our antiquated slaughter policy?
It never occurred to me that only six years later our government would be doing its best to repeat the experience - indeed, so keen that it went to the lengths of spreading the infection from its own laboratories at Pirbright. Perhaps the Conservative party could be persuaded that support for a national vaccination policy would increase its share of the votes should Gordon Brown decide on a snap election.
Ro Brown
From Stuart Brown Sept 30
Hi Mary
you probably won't remember me but I was very active on the frontline during the old FMD outbreak. (I remember you very well).
At that time I was not involved with farming - just very angry and caring. Since then I have acquired rare breed Shetland cattle and living in Scotland I am hoping the winter cold wipes out the current midge population before they travel the 400+ miles.
I have one question. When a carrier midge lay its eggs and the larva hatch, do the larva and the subsequent midge carry the virus? (My understanding is that there is no evidence of vertical transmission of the virus in the invertebrate host - so the infected female who feeds on blood before laying eggs does not pass on the virus to the eggs and about 20 days after hatching, when the larval stage is over, the new adult must feed on the infected blood of a host animal before, in its turn, passing on the virus. A god reference is this FAO page )
Secondly, I have been speaking with a half Romany Gipsy, Peter Potter (true!) and he was telling me that his grandfather used to keep midges off his cattle and horses by using 20 gallons of water with one gallon of vinegar added and wipe the animal all over, particularly the underparts where legs meet body. I believe that it is worth a try to anyone who cannot afford the commercial repellants. He added that his grandfather used to do this every two weeks. I suppose that observation would tell if it works.
Best Regards
Stuart W Brown
Email from John Tuck September 29 2007
The list of diseases that Andrew Tyler maintains are evidence of our
disrespect for animal lives is a curious one. Salmonella, campylobacter and
e-coli are endemic and can affect human health. They are possibly more
likely to spread in large intensive units, and the risk of cross infection
is increased in large industrialised abattoirs. The cause of BSE is not
fully understood, but if it was the result of infected feed then the public
should be aware that the infection spread when manufacturers of animal feeds
were not compelled to name the ingredients in their products. It has never
been scientifically proven that BSE has been the cause of variant CJD in
humans.
Although Britain has traded for decades (with intervals when
outbreaks have occurred) as foot and mouth disease free without
vaccination, the regulations of the OEI stipulate that this status is only
attainable with proper bio-security to prevent the disease entering the
country.
There is good reason to believe that this country has been trading
fraudulently.
The slaughter policy used to eliminate FMD, requires that farm
animals are slaughtered when diseased or in contact with diseased animals
and permits slaughter on suspicion of animals, without formal proof that
they have the disease or any contact with it. This contrasts with the policy
(or lack of it) where known carriers of Bovine TB, even those with visible
clinical signs are protected by law, but an imperfect test for bTB results
in the slaughter of an increasing number of cattle, of which a significant
number prove to have no trace of infection. This test is also known to fail
to identify all infected animals.
The threat to farm animals from bluetongue is a product of global warming that causes the midges that carry the
disease to migrate further north. Avian influenza is only likely to have
serious economic consequences for large intensive poultry units - but the
contingency plans to house all free range birds could for the smaller
poultry keeper be more destructive than the disease. The most worrying
aspect of Avian influenza is that it could mutate to become transmissible
between humans, but so far the human victims are all thought to have
contracted the disease from poultry.
Lumping all these diseases together as Andrew Tyler does is evidence of our
disrespect for animal lives, and the willingness of politically motivated
people and organisations to disregard honesty and integrity in the way we
deal with them, and manipulate and distort evidence for their own ends, - not
those of the animals or their keepers.
John Tuck
Highgate Farm, Wootton Bassett
From John Burns 28 September
Dear Mary,
As one who has asked repeatedly to be allowed to use vaccination against H5N1 I was shocked to read on FWi (i.e.here) a report about a rapid test for H5N1 which was said to be an important development "because there was no effective vaccination against H5N1".
Can any of your expert contributors confirm this (that there is not effective vaccine against H5N1)? It seems to fly in the face of many reports I have seen which record the success of vaccination against H5N1.
John Burns
I hope you may get a response, John. Have a look at warmwell's vaccination against h5n1 page The paper here for example, on the subject of vaccinating zoo birds, indicates that "... vaccination should
be regarded as a beneficial component of the preventive measures (including increased bio-security and monitoring) that can be undertaken
in zoos to prevent an outbreak of and decrease environmental contamination by HPAI H5N1 virus, while alleviating confinement." Sorry not to have more time at present to devote to your question
From Jacquita Allender September 27 2007
Dear Mary,
Re Howard Dalton's reply to Colin Fink in the Times....
Defra does Science - comforting reading!
I love their little comments:
-
'Prevention is better than cure"
- "Animal owners appreciate the wider impacts of animal husbandry methods on health and welfare...."
- and when they tell us that their aims are "To reduce impact of endemic diseases in animals" and "To improve animal welfare".
- And when they talk about their "Investment in research, evidence and innovation...."
And as for Howard Dalton's statement in his letter, "Vaccination is at the forefront of our disease control policy for foot and mouth disease" - well, I'm speechless with admiration!
Meanwhile, the medieval and bloody slaughter continues..........
Who would have thought this would all be happening again? (And who are these DEFRA virologists who exist? Are they being asked their opinion or are they technicians?)
Lots of love
from a sad Quita
P.S. I will gladly send a copy of 'Fields of Fire' free to anyone who would like one. I talk to people wherever I go and it is clear to me that they don't know or understand anything about FMD or the way its current 'cure' is hurting people and animals. Should I send a copy to Debby??
From Susan Haywood Sept 27 2007
Dear Mary
FMD revisited - in all aspects!
In the 2001 outbreak I was one of those whose area (N.Pennines) was affected and was heartily and vociferously critical of DEFRA policy.
So much so that I, together with a friend, wrote a book “The Hefted Farmer” in the aftermath to alert the public to what the farmers had endured and perhaps even more importantly to the devastating effect the eradication policies so very nearly had on the Yorkshire National Park, a heritage site of sympathetic farming (the heafing or hefting of sheep) and the rich wildlife supported thereby. (SSSI for wading birds and ESA for herb rich meadows).
The book was well received and by coincidence is now in its 3rd reprint.
Without wishing to push myself forward I should like to recommend this book which is a collation of first hand stories from local farmers collected by my co - author Barbara Crossley integrated into a whole by myself. (I agree. I have a copy)
We have not intended to make a profit for ourselves but eventually (when we have recouped our investment) to help promote and sustain hill farming.
If any of your subscribers are interested the details are:-
“The Hefted Farmer “by Susan Haywood and Barbara Crossley
ISBN 1 904524 20 6
Hayloft Publishing Ltd, Kirkby Stephen, Cumbria CA17 4DJ
e-mail: books@hayloft.org.uk
web: www.hayloft.org.uk
Most sincerely and with very best wishes
Susan Haywood
I wholly endorse this. It is an astonishing book.
From Nick Green September 26 2007
Hi Mary, may be of interest.
--------------------------------------
I rang Reigate. "We are experiencing high levels of calls ........................ Press 1 for FMD or 2 for anything else.
Pressed 1. Nice chap answers.
ME, "Hi can you answer some questions about the latest FMD fiasco?"
"I'll try."
"How many I/P's have you recorded as of 1530 hrs today?"
"Seven."
"Seven, are you sure?"
"Yes seven."
" So, 7 I/P's. Thanks. How many farms in total have been taken out and how many animals in total have been killed?"
"I don't have that information I am afraid."
"You are the FMD Helpline, why do you not have the information?"
"You have to write in."
"Tried that weeks ago. Doesn't work."
"Sorry but that is what we have been told."
" How many of the Queen's animals have been slaughtered on suspicion so far?"
"They have all been tested and are negative."
"Interesting, perhaps convenient! How long do the tests take to come back from IAH Pirbright?"
" 3 days."
"3 days? Why the delay on I/P one?"
"Don't know. Please write in."
"How do I talk direct to Reigate?"
"Ring (01737 242242) and press option 2 when asked."
"Ok thanks for your help."
I have been waiting many weeks for them to answer my first 12 questions!!
All the best.
Nick, Jack & Keld.
..................................
Hi Mary, again.
Further to my last e-mail, I rang Reigate and pressed option 2. (1715 hrs.)
Answer Phone:- " Hi, blah blah blah, We are open from 0900 to 1700 Mon to Thurs and 0830 to 1630 on Fridays!!!!!!. To report a notifiable animal disease please ring 076 23 93 57 54, LEAVE A MESSAGE AND WAIT TO BE CONTACTED!!!!!!!!"
We are in the middle of a serious FMD outbreak, Bluetongue has arrived and these complete tossers are not open, shut up shop early on Fridays and are not open over the weekend!
Further If I'd had suspected FMD/Bluetongue/Swine Fever etc I have had to ring another number and wait for someone to get back to me!
For once I am speechless!
Nick, Jack & keld.
From Alicia Eykyn September 26 2007
Dear Mary
Re Todays entry from Roger Breeze:
"It is time for a serious conversation with UK farmers and the public
about the realities of infectious diseases in today's world of rapid
global travel and trade "
How heartening to read Roger Breeze once again getting so succinctly
to the nub of the problems and his answer to Angus Stovold's Diary
for the BBC.
One can only hope that Angus Stovold and fellow members of the NFU
will read this and open their minds to a different point of view.
Then go further and consult the likes of Roger Breeze.
That way his diary, instead of, as he writes: ................. 'my
grandfather's, my father's and my life's work breeding this well-
known herd would be finished.'
... could read: 'My grandfather's, my father's and my life's work
breeding this well-known herd will still be there to pass on to my
children, my children's children and so on, to whomsoever is around
to take it from there!!
How about it Mr Stovold?
Best wishes
Alicia Eykyn
From Huw Rowlands Sept 25
Dear Mary,
I may be missing something here. I seem to be missing quite a lot, especially when it comes to the machinations of DEATHRA. But doesn't the RBST have a rare breeds register?
Did I imagine registering my Red Polls on this register for vaccination in the event of a further FMD outbreak?
Is the paper copy of this registration form sent to my vet at the time a figment of his imagination and mine?
Why has there been no mention of this register, never mind promotion of it, to those who keep rare breeds?
And is it worth the paper it is written on given the apparent blood lust at DEATHRA?
If any of your correspondents can shed any light on this question, I would be most interested.
Best wishes,
Huw
The Directive mentions the word vaccination 145 times. It does not specifically mention rare breeds - but Article 15 states (para 1)1. Where an outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease threatens
to infect animals of susceptible species in a laboratory, zoo,
wildlife park, and fenced area or in bodies, institutes or centres
approved in accordance with Article 13(2) of Directive 92/65/
EEC and where animals are kept for scientific purposes or
purposes related to conservation of species or farm animal
genetic resources, the Member State concerned shall ensure
that all appropriate bio-security measures are taken to protect
such animals from infection. Those measures may include
restricting access to public institutions or making such access
subject to special conditions.
Perhaps someone else know more, Huw. I hope so.
From Mrs Anne Lambourne September 25
Dear Mary
Copied below are comments I posted on the Scotsman
website relating to the article by Dan Buglass today (link to article below). My
frustration with these loose comments being bandied around re vaccination is
clear I think!
Anne
"Yet, if the UK was to adopt a vaccination
policy it is almost certain that exports of beef and lamb would be
banned".
This statement by Mr Buglass lacks clarity and thus can mislead: i) it
is important to distinguish between routine prophylactic vaccination, something
which is currently not permitted under the EU FMD Directive, and emergency
vaccination to contain an outbreak which is permitted. ii) after emergency
vaccination exports to the EU are banned for 6 months cf with the slaughter
policy when exports can resume 3 months after the country is shown to be disease
free iii) this distinction has no basis in science as the hitech diagnostic
tests, NSP free vaccines, and accompanying differentiating tests for
distinguishing vaccinated from infected animals can guarantee more
reliably than a slaughter only policy (unless you slaughter all the animals in
the UK) that a country is disease free. Thus it would be more positive for the
NFUS and other stakeholders to be concentrating their energies on lobbying the
EU to have the distinction between the two policies removed, rather than calling
for the return of a medieval disease control policy involving the slaughter of
millions of healthy animals quite unnecessarily. THe NFUS, SEERAD and DEFRA are
perceived by many in the scientific world as being completely out of date.
It is imperative that the government is advised by those with specialist
knowledge in virology and FMD control by vaccination, apoint forcefully made by
Dr Colin Fink in his letter to The Times "The government must listen to
specialists" 25 Sept.2007.
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/comment/debate/letters/article2525010.ece
It is also worth noting the following:
i) Compensation to farmers for the loss of
earnings as a result of vaccination was in fact payable from the EU to
government through Council Decision 90/424/EEC, Articles 3 and 11, although this
fact was not “publicised” by our government in 2001.
ii) There is a
derogation under the current EU Directive for farmers who have vaccinated their
stock to sell meat and milk (untreated i.e. it is does not have to be deboned
and heat treated) on the home market immediately the country has been shown to
be disease free through testing.
iii) There was, and is, room for
flexibility regarding the time scales for declaring a country disease free - the
onus is on the country to demonstrate convincingly to the OIE that it is clear
of the disease. With serosurveillance and the use of differentiating tests
Uruguay was able to obtain the all clear from the OIE in October 2001, and to
resume trading (Disease free status with vaccination) with the EU on 1 November
2001. This was only a few weeks after the last case of FMD in late August
2001. The most recent example of this flexibility was when the EU lifted
trade restrictions “surprisingly early” after the August outbreak of FMD in the
UK.
iv) Regionalisation is also permitted under the EU Directive, whereby
areas shown to be free of disease have their restrictions lifted - this means
that vaccination can in effect be localised.
From Norm Coates September 22 2007
Evening Mary,
Am I right in assuming that the Egham
animals would have been infected a couple of weeks before it was discovered in
them? (Yes)
And can I therefore assume that that
would have been about the time that you burnt your hand ie early 20th of
August? (about that time, yes.)
It was also about a week after the
contract plumber, ( we have his name He is unlisted. So who contacted him to
do the work at the Pirbright IAH lab?) was told that his case of Legionnaires Disease (see warmwell)
was of a non-lethal type, thereby stifling his claim for compensation.
His involvement at Pirbright, I think,
was before Merial began working on the virus. Was he allowed back
in?
He is reported to live in
Hampton (South-West of London).
Sorry, I don't appear to be too sure
about this it was just a thought that just maybe.
Hoo Roo
Norm
From Neil Oughton September 22 2007
Hi Mary,
had a phone call this morning cancelling a visit to purchase stock, from someone who is now just inside the newly extended Protection Zone.
I was told that the cattle culled yesterday that have come back positive, grazed in a field directly adjacent to Windsor Royal farms. There is apparently a Windsor pig unit just over the fence and a pedigree sheep flock just on from them, and of course deer all around.
They had been told that there are high level meetings (Cabinet was mentioned) going on this morning to decide on the next step. Is it one rule for one and one for another?
I watch developments with interest.
Regards,
Neil Oughton.
From Lawrence Wright Sept 22
Dear Mary,
The magazine
version of Farmer's Weekly out today (21 Sept) has an article on the source and
spread of the current out break of FMD by Jonathan Riley. He quotes "a
former senior official" who worked at the IAH site at Pirbright for over 30
years casting doubts on the theory that FMD could have spread from leaking
drains.
Referring to
the theory that virus escaping from the drains was carried to local livestock on
something like workers' clothing or vehicle tyres he quotes the official as
saying that this was "asking people to believe improbable, on top of improbable,
on top of improbable".
"For this
scenario to have worked would require hundreds of thousands of doses to have
escaped down the drain," he said.
"The notion that the virus would
remain infective on a lorry tyre, at least in sufficient quantities to infect
animals, is stretching reason and imagination beyond breaking point," he
said.
Jonathan Riley reports that the
official hinted at transfer by human contact. "Something or someone is
lurking out in the British countryside with the capability of passing this
infection on."
The September outbreak raised even
tougher questions for those who uphold the leaking drain theory, according to
the official.
"I don't believe that those who
produced the report are wholly convinced that the drains were the
source."
He referred to the inconvenient
timing of the virus leak, when the IAH is undergoing a £120m redevelopment with
the long term aim of taking on more virology
projects.
"One of the aims is to work on
viruses that can spread to humans, including avian flu. The last thing
they need is for the site to have sprung a leak."
Thinking back, I seem to remember Dr
Colin Fink ( here ) writing on 10th August: "One of the more worrying aspects
of the clinical presentation of the second affected animal group in this
outbreak, was the profound onset of the illness simultaneously in a number of
animals. This strongly suggests a high viral load within the environment that
infected this group all together." He would also appear to have been
sceptical that such an outbreak of infection could have resulted from infection
carried on a car tyre or contractor's boot.
Karen keeps remembering the dairy
herd on the Pirbright Estate. Was the milk collection indeed cancelled on
1st August, the day before first case was noticed? And what has happened
to the Pirbright dairy herd subsequently?
Lawrence
x
Middle Campscott Farm
Lee
Ilfracombe
Devon
EX34 8LS
Tel
01271 864621
www.middlecampscott.co.uk
From John Burns
re farming Today 18th Sept.
David Catlow's criteria for using FMD vaccination were shown later in the same programme to be already here and needing urgent implementation.
He said vaccination was justified "if there isn't the resource there to spot the disease early enough". Later on 18th Sept we learnt of lesions 3 weeks old. Clearly the resources were not available to spot the disease early enough.
The programme then goes on to detail lorry drivers' hours legislation. Very sensible legislation to avoid accidents. If vaccination had been done over a suitable area immediately after the first Surrey outbreak was confirmed there would be no need for Scotland to seek relaxation of drivers' rules.
Successive UK Governments have justified EU membership (despite opposition from a majority of the population who care what Government does) by saying we have more influence within than without the EU.
If our current Government continues to believe that, it should have no fear about its ability to help numerous other EU member states change the archaic rules relating to trade in products from FMD-vaccinated animals.
Regarding the lost export trade for light lamb, why not look at freezing it now ready for later on when Jamie Oliver or some other TV celebrity chef shows us how to cook it and eat it?
if it's good enough for countries which really care about their food why should UK miss out?
Apart from water what can be more important then food? So if there ain't enough time on farming Today to present an
accurate and balanced report, why can't it be continued on Today?
PS it's not only the remote hill farmers who are being savaged by current DEFRA policy which appears to avoid FMD vaccination at any cost. Almost every livestock and dairy farmer I know is currently feeling the financial implications of DEFRA's current policies on FMD control (or lack of it).
Early ring-FMD vaccination would have avoided almost all these problems apart from the export thing. Effective communication with consumers could have engaged them in understanding the issues.
Instead we have even the most idealistic companies driven to reduce prices just to slow down the flow of animals to their abattoirs.
PPS I wonder if Dick Sibley is finding the current outbreak exciting enough?
John Burns
(Mr Burns refers to the remark by the former president of the British Cattle Veterinary Association - a vet - that he had found the 2001 fmd crisis "exciting")
From Lawrence Wright
Dear Mary,
Thanks for the email. I suspect that David Catlow went on to make his second point about vaccination - which could have been about vaccination to live - and the programme editor cut it out: an outrageous piece of carelessness and misinformation. If you have a line of communication to David Catlow, it might be worth pointing out that the editing misrepresented him too. He might be moved to complain to the BBC and get the record put straight.
After yesterday's efforts, something rang a bell because Anna Hill took time at the end of the programme to explain that Patrick is advocating vaccination to live and that we now have tests to differentiate vaccinated and infected animals.
Have you any more detail about the animals killed on the 5th outbreak farm where the lesions on the (10?) cattle were about 3 weeks old? I wonder how the public at large could be made aware that cattle as well as the villainous sheep can suffer from FMD and recover without major suffering. Public awareness of this might feed a groundswell of objection to the peremptory slaughter and its costs. Most non farmers I speak to are astonished to hear that FMD is not fatal to animals and not dangerous to humans. NFU spokesmen give out the message that the suffering of the infected cattle is appalling and most people think that it is a kindness to kill them. They also infer that the payment made to farmers for the cattle in compulsory purchase is some sort of grant "compensation" and that the infected animals would be worthless. Can you remember which noble duke in the 1920s opted to treat his infected cows and went on later to win at Smithfield with one of the cows?
Karen and I - and Michael next door are eternally grateful to you for your amazing efforts.
Lawrence
Middle Campscott Farm
Lee
Ilfracombe
Devon
EX34 8LS
Tel 01271 864621
www.middlecampscott.co.uk
Meanwhile, we hear from another reader, William Proudfoot: " I have just made an official complaint to the BBC regarding the nonsense in the Vaccination Q & A that you highlighted. While it almost certainly will make no difference at all, I feel that as many people as possible should be encouraged to complain about this and other inaccuracies.The more who do so, the more they might have to acknowledge their errors."
After seeing this Lawrence wrote,
"Please reassure William Proudfoot that he should pursue his complaint to the BBC. I am told that they do take listener feedback seriously - and he should persist. (Most complainants, feeling as he does, that "it almost certainly will make no difference at all", only try once...) If he feels his complaint is not being taken seriously, I am told, he should send it to the BBC Rural Affairs Committee - who will take it seriously."
( To write to Farming Today you can use this link)
From Hugh Boyes 18th September 2007
Mary,
The protection zone gets more and more curious. The diagram below is from the BBC website (http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/6999871.stm), the TWELVE blue squares denoting the "Centres of zones" - of which only two are labelled with farm names - So what are the other 10 centres? They are presumably not random points on a map!
After some digging on the DEFRA website I found the declarations (12/9/07, 14/9/07 & 15/9/07 - copies attached). Using the grid co-ordinates provided in these Declarations I looked up the centres using the Ordnance Survey's website - the results are a curious mix as you will see from the attached pdf (OS Grid Ref of FMD PZ) - 7 out of the 11 current Centres of Zones relate to clearly identifiable farms, 1 relates to Staines Moor/King George VI Reservoir, 1 relates to open land near Staines, 1 relates to fields/lakes near Thorpe, and one appears to relate to West Byfleet Golf Course. All of the maps seem to include watercourses!
Regards,
Hugh
Received later
Mary,
I have corrected an error in the file I sent you earlier - one of the maps was wrong, sorry.
Using http://www.multimap.com/ I have tried to relate the coordinates of the centres as published by DEFRA to the centres as published on the BBC's website - see map on first page of attached file. (the letters by the centres are ones that I have added for identification purposes). I cannot get them all to match up!
Curious - I may have made a mistake - have a look and see what you think.
Regards,
Hugh
From Hugh Boyes
Mary,
I read the article about Misinformation (here) and followed your excellent links.
The BBC page you refer to is nothing but NFU propaganda (the farmer concerned being the NFU Surrey County Chairman - easily found using a Google search). I think that this is abysmal reporting and have submitted the following complaint to the BBC via their website.
Please feel free to publish it on your emails page. I will be interested to see what sort of response I get.
Regards,
Hugh
--------------------
From Lawrence Wright
Dear
Mary,
Of course Patrick
Holden said no such thing on Farming Today
He was on
yesterday. He recommended vaccination and mentioned that it had been used
in Holland. I know that he was not approving
that the animals were subsequently killed - just indicating a precedent for
vaccinating.
Today on Farming Today
an email was read from someone called Michael Weaver; who drew attention to the
fate of those vaccinated animals. They promised to expand on these issues
later in the programme. Later they interviewed David Catlow, President of
the BVA. He 'explained' to listeners that vaccination was 'a tool' for the
stopping the spread of 'uncontrollable disease'. So if the 'modellers'
identified that the disease had become uncontrollable, animals might be
vaccinated in a ring, say, 3 or 10 Km round the outbreak; and this would have
the effect of damping down the spread of the disease.
Anna Hill asked him
about the fate of the vaccinated animals. He responded that there would be
two different things we could do… and then proceeded to explain that in the
event of the numbers of animals to be slaughtered exceeding the capacity of the
slaughter teams, or the corpses exceeding the capacity of the means of disposal,
vaccination could be used to 'buy time'; so that the animals could be culled
later, 'without panic'! He did not mention a second
thing.
When Anna Hill asked if
vaccination would be used, he responded that at present there is not panic or
huge numbers of animals affected and the outbreak is not getting out of
hand…
I fumed at the
spineless BBC for misrepresenting Patrick Holden and the considerations relating
to vaccination and not asking the vet any really probing questions: and I wished
that we, as apparently Germany does, had a veterinary
profession guided by ethics.
Lawrence
Middle Campscott
Farm
Lee
Ilfracombe
Devon
EX34
8LS
Tel 01271 864621
www.middlecampscott.co.uk
PS Patrick just
phoned to thank me for my email. He heard the programme and had spoken at
length to Anna Hill, objecting to the coverage of vaccination. She told
him that the item had been better balanced but the part about vaccination to
live had been edited out. Hopefully the BBC will attempt to remedy the
ommission. He encouraged me to complain to Farming Today. I had
already sent them a message via their horrible website form as
follows:
"The interview
with David Catlow this morning, gave a very misleading impression of the value
of vaccination in dealing with an outbreak of
FMD.
Well qualified
virologists like Dr Colin Fink, Clinical Virologist & Hon. Senior Lecturer
in Biological Sciences University of Warwick, Micropathology Ltd Research and
Diagnosis and Dr Ruth Watkins
BSc Hons, MSc, MBBS, MRCP, MRCPath. say that it is now possible
to discriminate with tests between vaccinated and infected
animals.
This means that it
is not necessary to kill animals vaccinated in order to control an outbreak:
and that it would be possible to benefit from the control offered by
vaccinating susceptible animals around a source of infection, without the need
for mass slaughter.
Use of vaccination
can offer rapid control of disease spread, particularly valuable where, as in
the present case, the means of spread are not understood (and could, for
example involve wild animals like deer); and would allow the early relaxing of
the damaging restrictions on animals movements outside the area of the
outbreak."
It has not yet appeared
on the website…
A reader of the Warmwell website has submitted the following complaint to the BBC:
"The
above page carries the following text "One in five vaccinated animals carry and display signs of the disease."
This statement is presented as fact - it is a misleading view particularly subscribed to by DEFRA and the NFU, An expert who has been consulted by the BBC (http://www.bbc.co.uk/pressoffice/pressreleases/stories/2003/05_may/13/hardtalk_watkinsruth.shtml) on other vaccination matters is Dr Ruth Watkins. It is inexcusable for the BBC to continue to peddle this line, when experts like Dr Watkins can explain the vaccine technologies available today which could prevent the 'ritual' slaughter of health farm animals.
This page falls well short of the standard of truth and impartiality that one expects from the BBC - whilst the page is "a farmer's diary" such misrepresented facts will no doubt be recycled in other reports and Angus Stovold is closely involved with the NFU (e.g. as Chairman of the Surrey NFU).
We need good quality journalism on this matter not the BBC demonstrating that it can simply trotting out the party line (be it DEFRA or the NFU) - please talk to some real experts such as Dr Watkins and get a clear an honest story across."
From Pat Innocent
Dear Mary,
Thank you so much for your hard work in keeping us informed, yet again, on the FMD situation.
I believe there is a population of roe deer in the infected area in Surrey. If they were infected last month from one of the diseased farms, they will be spreading FMD around while hardly noticing it themselves. Defra and the media have been deafening silent on this issue, but if this IS the case, there's only one way out - ring vaccination. Slaughter might work, but only when all the cattle, sheep, goats and pigs have been killed everywhere the deer roam, and by that time, the rest of the country will probably have caught it from tyres and people's shoes.
God help us.
Pat Innocent
Thank you, Pat. This is what I wrote on
August 5 2007 ~ Deer do not obey movement bans - and roe deer move between Pirbright and local farms.
"Roe deer occur widely on Surrey's commons, and were even recorded on
quite small sites in relatively built-up areas": (DEFRA funded wildlife project pdf) . The A31, inside the 3km exclusion zone, had to be
disinfected yesterday because a deer was hit by a car. Woolfords farm is separated from Pirbright by an
arable farm, a wood and a golf course. It does not take much imagination to predict that any escape of the O1 BFS 1860 virus from IAH Pirbright or the Merial laboratory could now be infecting these deer.
In their paper "Foot-and-Mouth Disease in Deer: implications for the policy of control and eradication of the disease" Paul Sutmoller and Paul Gibbs suggest that if deer are infected then " all livestock in the area should be vaccinated or re-vaccinated, preferably within three months to obtain an optimum population immunity. Re-population of the area with vaccinated livestock does not need to wait for the infection to peter out in deer.
d) The official opinion that FMD infected roe deer constitute a low risk, because sick animals hide and probably die, is not valid. Like cattle or sheep, susceptible deer are very infectious prior to the development of lesions while they still actively move and graze. Also deer with sub-clinical or minor lesions will still roam around."
In considering their next move it is to be hoped that the relevant authorities are aware of such expert advice. This paper too, written for warmwell during the last outbreak by a scientist who soon afterwards rose to a high position in the FAO, should be essential reading for those who want to know the real facts about vaccination and transmission of virus.
From Jon Dobson
Dear Mary
I had decided to 'watch from the wings' this time,
as it seems to be there are so many contributors that are more qualified than
me, just like last time, who once again are being ignored. Unfortunately, this
time we don't have Fred Brown.
I just read about the botched cull, ending up with
cows on the golf course at Purley. I can't believe we are hearing the same
stories again, though this time even more worrying, as DEFRA should have more
than enough manpower to ensure a correct handling of the outbreak.
I've just written a open letter to Adam Price about
the situation as of now, which if you feel it might help, you can publish.
Can't tell you how mad I am about FMD at the
moment, it is appalling that things are still the same. Thank you for having
stayed the course and keeping the brilliant Warmwell website alive -
one can only hope that a few at DEFRA might have it saved as
a favourite.
Love
Jon
Jon
Dobson
Llwynrhosser
Llanddeussant
nr
Llangadog
Carmarthenshire
SA19
9TN
Phone: 01550
740355
Email:
dobsonjon@hotmail.com
Monday 17 September 2007
Dear Adam Price,
As someone who was
directly involved with the Foot and Mouth outbreak
in 2001, I am concerned
that the same mistakes are being made yet again
in the current outbreak in
Surrey.
It appears from the latest reports as of this morning that
contractors
vehicles at IAH Pirbright were not properly disinfected when they
left
the site, and were probably responsible for the infection reaching
the
second farm reported as affected on Friday.
Even more disturbing
is that it turns out that a 3rd farm, not yet
officially reported as
infected, had a botched cull where 4 cows
bolted, went through fields and a
canal, finally ending up at the 16th
hole at Purley Golf Club. Golfers at the
club where held at the Club
house for 5 hours while police marksmen were
dispatched to kill the
frightened animals.
This is beyond belief -
there were many reports back in 2001 of
haphazard disinfection, and lots of
reports of botched culls and
inhumane slaughter. The defence then, as I am
sure it is now, is that
of 'unmitigated circumstances'. I can supply you with
many cases of
inhumane treatment that took place back in 2001, when I was
providing
evidence to the EU Enquiry in preparation for their report on the
FMD
debacle.
God forbid should the virus escape from the confines of
the area in
Surrey, as DEFRA are already showing their inability to manage
the
outbreak humanely, professionally and compassionately. They hide
behind
the ironically named 'Animal Welfare Act', preventing any
witnesses
from overviewing their actions by threatening a £5000 fine or
potential
prison sentence, so that they cannot be supervised to make sure
that
legal standards on the treatment of animals can be
maintained.
Vaccination is the answer, as has been proven in so many
other
countries, and the fact that the Government allow a comparatively
small
business like meat export to control their decision on this
is
despicable.
I have a sheep farm here in Carmarthenshire. I shudder
to think what it
might be like should DEFRA start getting closer to this
area, should
the virus escape and come further West.
It is time that
we, in Wales, with our own Assembly, began campaigning
for vaccination, and a
sensible approach to disease control that
includes compassionate treatment of
animals, without the usual caveats
of 'unmitigated circumstances'. A friend
of mine, Professor Fred Brown,
described the acts back in 2001 as a 'disgrace
to humanity'. Let's not
allow a repeat of the appalling methods and treatment
to livestock to
occur again.
From Chris Craghill
Dear Mary
I have just read, with horror, the latest on your Home page concerning the random shooting of cows that escaped a cull today, reported, to have been happening in a dreadfully cruel and inhumane way.
I now live in Essex but in 2001 lived in a fell side farming village in the Northern Fells of Cumbria. Because of what I witnessed then and the horror I experienced due to abuse of basic animal and human rights, I became actively involved with Heart of Cumbria. I was not involved in farming myself but lived as part of a great, cohesive, farming community and I felt I could not sit back and passively watch the relentless cruelty and the dismantling of a way of life.
I tried to do what I could, even going on the march from Hyde Park Corner to Downing St at the end of Aug 01 and attending various meetings within Cumbria. I really thought we could help to change the mindset of the government over vaccination and the Open Public Enquiry that we were being denied, as well as altering the adverse opinion that many Cumbrian farmers held over vaccination.
Sadly it was not to be.
On page 30 of Dr Richard North's book "The Death of British Agriculture" published late 2001, he talks about the psychological condition known as 'cognitive dissonance', a term that describes a mental state that arises when a person possesses knowledge or beliefs which conflict with a decision that he/she has made.
Richard North used this to illustrate the mismanagement of MAFF (as it then was) in their response to FMD in the 2001 epidemic, by writing that
"senior officials in the organisation were confronted with the inherent conflict brought about by the knowledge that the adopted strategy could not work, and was not working, and their decision to persist with that strategy."
Dr North went on to explain that "Research indicates that cognitive dissonance has a particularly powerful effect on behavior when there are strong pressures to justify initial decisions. The less justified those decisions, the greater will be the dissonance. Furthermore, the inability to admit error increases with the degree of seriousness of the error made: the more serious the error, the more bizarre will be attempts to justify the unjustifiable. Thus, given the overweening confidence of MAFF that it is always right, it was inevitable that, when its initial slaughter policy showed signs of catastrophic failure, it would resort to further slaughter."
For MAFF in 2001 read DEFRA in 2007. Exactly the same thing is happening again and will continue to happen. I do not believe that this government will authorise vaccination, although I pray that I am wrong. The only thing that will alter the mindset of this government would be an uprising of the farming community, and as they have been very neatly dismantled by the government, that will not happen.
Sincerely
Chris Craghill
From Huw Rowlands -
Dear Mary
My letter has been published in today's Independent.http://comment.independent.co.uk/letters/article2964525.ece
Best wishes,
Huw
Foot-and-mouth strikes again
Sir: So we are now suffering the second foot-and-mouth outbreak in as many months, thanks, it seems, to the boffins at the Institute of Animal Health. Taxpayers are therefore funding an establishment which has become the biggest single threat to livestock farming in the UK.
The vaccine produced at Pirbright cannot be used to protect animals against the very disease being spread by the same laboratory. Had ring vaccination been implemented in August, we would not be in the mess in which we now find ourselves. It is time that the policy of indiscriminate slaughter of animals to control disease was ended, since it has now been proven not to work. Or perhaps it would be cheaper and more in keeping with the age of spin simply to rebrand Pirbright as the Institute of Animal Death.
Huw Rowlands
Chester
From Robert Persey
Dear Mary
I have this chilling feeling that we are on the edge of something that we do not understand and are not being told about.
There is stunned dismay with a total lack of understanding in the livestock community about what is happening. Anybody who reads the forum page of the National Pig Association (NPA) will see the despair of the UK pig industry. The pressure of high feed prices, low pig prices and now the flood of imports due to FMD has taken many farmers beyond the point of no return.
However, all of these events are taking the focus away from a ticking time bomb.
Recently the Government has been allowing the composting of meat and feathers on farms in open windrows. Incredibly some of these activities are taking place on livestock farms with the connivance of state vets.
It is illegal under the provisions of the Animal By Products Order 2005 to allow this waste meat onto premises where livestock are kept.
The CVO and the Secretary of State have received photographic evidence of cattle adjacent to heaps of feathers / compost. The Environment Agency has received photographs of unprocessed feathers, rats and ponds of pollution liquor. It is neither concerned about this evidence nor complaints of foul smells.
An MEP has requested EU Commissioner Kyprianou to investigate.
I note in the VLA surveillance reports for June 2007 there was a case of botulism transferred from a heap of chicken muck 200 metres by birds and vermin to a herd of cattle.
Was nothing learned from 2001? Is nobody in authority answerable for this incompetence?
Allowing composting of waste meat in outside windrows adjacent to cattle is insanity of the highest order. These outside windrows risk an outbreak of FMD, Swine Fever or avian flu.
The virus, like the terrorist only has to get lucky once. These outside windrows also risk the spread of fungal spores (aspergillus… farmers lung) and subsequent mycrotoxin poisoning in humans and animals alike.
This country must recycle by composting rather than landfill but it must be done to a high standard. Composting should be in vessel within enclosed facilities, operating at negative air pressure with the exhausted air being chemically scrubbed.
Kind Regards
Robert Persey
From Ruth Watkins
Just to respond to some of the thoughts on Warmwell- the next slap in the face will be bluetongue. Further slaughter? To no avail. Will we be exporting live animals then? The NFU should be a powerful voice urging and facilitating a bluetongue vaccine for serotype-8, the strain which is at present dealing such a blow to Northern Europe- at least 10,000 herds and flocks affected in the last 2 months- that we have heard nothing about it on the news whilst we bicker over FMD vaccination. If an Easterly wind doth blow we will be blown away.
How very fortunate we are to have the possibility of the highly effective FMD O vaccine based on the very virus that is causing our present outbreak. How unlucky we are that this very virus has emerged from Pirbright- the accident waiting to happen by the state of the Pirbright site which cannot have been truthfully called containment level 4 for at least 3 years. Surely it is not beyond the wit of man and woman to create a vaccination zone in the South of England and try and return farming to near normality in the rest of Britain? When we discussed vaccination in 2001 the logical outcome to arguments on vaccination 'yes or no' was that it makes more sense to make the time to export longest when vaccination is not used. It is much more dangerous to have full blown infections out there and their high potential for transmission.
yours sincerely
Ruth
(Warmwell's Bluetongue page is here)
From Michael Greaves
Mary