APPENDIX 12
Memorandum submitted by Mr D R Hastings
(L14)
As a working herdsman and a keen supporter of
badgers I would like to raise the following points, on the husbandry
side of this controversial issue:
PASSPORTS
With the recent BSE problems the movement of
cattle in this country has been greatly increased with replacements
needed for dairy herds and beef cattle having a quicker turnround,
therefore the risk of cow to cow transmission is greater, not
only within herds but due to contact over boundaries and at markets,
also any herd hiring or buying in a bull is at a much higher risk,
and it is quite possible under the present system for an animal
to go its whole life without being tested. With an infected animal
passing it on, and being slaughtered without having been identified
as a reactor. Thus hiding the actual source of the breakdown in
that herd, and any other which has had contact with it.
Passports have been introduced to aid the traceability
of animals, but it is still not possible when buying in cattle
to tell whether an animal has been TB tested and when, surely
it makes sense to have this information logged on passports. Whilst
it is a very rare occurrence for an animal to pick up the disease
from a badger as I understand its lifespan outside the animal
is fairly short, once one cow has it, then cow to cow transmission
seems the most likely way for a large number of cows in a herd
to be affected, the sooner the disease is diagnosed the better
as this would stop a small problem from escalating. Although MAFF
may be able to cross reference the computer databases on TB tests,
this is of little help to the farmer on purchasing cattle. When
a farm has had a clear test, a sheet of stamps could be issued
from the British Cattle Movement Services records, each stamp
with the identity number of an animal tested that has a passport.
These stamps could then be placed on a dedicated page in the passport
by the farmer giving an instant record of when and if an animal
was tested.
The belief that this would prejudice the sale
of stock from a farm which has had an outbreak, is not valid.
If a test showed a reactor, this would not show in the passport,
but no stamps would be issued until the herd was clear and no
animals would be allowed to to be moved off the holding until
after a clear test—as is the case now!
TESTING
Prompt and easy testing for the disease, to
reduce spread within a herd, between herds and between species,
thus reducing the cost of outbreaks.
To this end in the dairy industry, testing of
the bulk milk seems the obvious method.
Enclosed is a copy of an article published in
the Times from Dr Colin Fink and his reply to this method of testing.
[not printed]
HUSBANDRY
— Cattle should be excluded from water
courses.
— Grassland close to badger setts should
be used for conservation in the spring when m.bovis can survive
for the longest period outside of a host animal.
— Boundary fences between farms
should be well maintained and definitely not allow physical
contact between animals.
— Use of shared manure spreaders may
also aid in the spread of the disease.
OTHER
— Farmers should be educated to the
benefits of having clean badgers on their land as these will discourage
vagrant animals moving in.
10 January 1998
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