Tuesday, July 17, 2007

My reaction to the Shambo ruling

It has been quite interesting to see the reaction to the recent ruling in the "Shambo" case.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/wales/south_west/6901038.stm

I particularly like the comments from the FUW spokesman, Evan R Thomas, who says that it will set back disease control by 70 years. In my humble opinion he is talking a load of rubbish and I would love to hear exactly HOW it will set it back?
This is an animal that is, and will remain, in isolation for its natural life, it will NOT enter the food chain, it does not spend its friday nights out on the town with badgers and other animals that can carry TB, so how on earth can it be a threat to the eradication of the disease?
Mr Thomas is also quoted as saying:
"This ludicrous ruling contradicts the principles upon which successful TB eradication programmes throughout the world have been based for generations,"
Well that proves it then, (NOT), if culling is so successful at eradicating TB, WHY is it on the increase in wales.
Another NFU member, Dai Davies, president of NFU Cymru, is quoted as saying:
"This is a decision which saves one animal but at the expense of hundreds if not thousands of other animals" ,
Yet again I would ask HOW?
The animal will not enter the food chain, will not be in contact with animals that enter the food chain, and in fact will be in contact with very few other animals, so how is it going to infect "thousands" of others?
Again I would refer readers to:
http://www.warmwell.com/
For a far more balanced viewpoint than the elected politicians in wales seem to be able to achieve.

Sunday, July 01, 2007

Shambo the bull !

Why are the welsh authorities and "DEAFRA" still insisting on slaughtering this healthy animal?

I note the BBC have said that the "animal tested positive for bovine TB"
As far as I can tell, that statement is totally false,
What happened is that;
"Shambo has not tested positive for bovine tuberculosis. Shambo has reacted to a screening test for bovine tuberculosis, nothing more."
This does not mean that he is affected by or suffering from bovine TB.
There are also several documented cases of false positives with the testing regime that is used in this country.
So until we catch up with the rest of the world with our testing routines, I shall remain very sceptical of the bovine excrement that frequently spouts from DEFRA.

For further news, see;
http://www.warmwell.com/shambo.html

Gordon Brown

So it would appear that GB is pulling in experienced politicians from other parties to help him run the country.
What puzzles me is that he is being critisised for it?

Surely if you are using people with views that differ from your own, and with different experiences, you may well end up with a more reasonable concensus, that is acceptable to more of the people who pay their wages.

So why the criticism???
Answers on a postcard to 10 downing street.

The Environment Agency

In a quote from the BBC;

"The Environment Agency has called on the government to find more cash to encourage farmers to manage their land in a way that would prevent flooding. "
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/6258518.stm

Are these people on the same planet as the rest of us?
Why should the farmers suffer yet again?

It is not the farmers who charge for on-street parking which encourages people to concrete over their gardens!
It is not the farmers who build on (or in the region of) the flood plains that existed round several rivers.