Bovine TB Blog

July 2009 - Posts

• Infectivity - badgers.

  When the word 'tuberculosis, is mentioned it is simplistic to suppose that infectivety is similar between species. In our posting below , we quoted the remarks of VLA personnel on the results of camelid postmortems thus: .. the predominant distribution... Posted Jul 29 2009, 10:05 AM by Bovine TB

• Transmission - alpacas

  We are grateful for sight of this week's Veterinary Record, where a report investigates an outbreak of disease which appears to be the result of convoluted movements, undertaken by some of this country's alpacas. We have touched on the thorny... Posted Jul 28 2009, 12:25 PM by Bovine TB

• FCN - New report

  The Farm Crisis Network , a charity which supports farmers in times of stress ( for whatever reason) has produced a report on the effect a TB breakdown has on the farmers caught up in it. We covered some of the many 'advantages' of TB restriction... Posted Jul 25 2009, 01:31 PM by Bovine TB

• Hansard - Vaccination update

  As the long hot summer begins and MPs trot off with their buckets and spades for the longest recess on record, a raft of answers to Parliamentary Questions appeared, some of which dealt with vaccination of badgers. The MP for part of the Cotswolds, Geoffrey... Posted Jul 21 2009, 12:59 PM by Bovine TB

• Defra on Vaccination

  Defra appear to be wearing two hats. On the one hand their badger Vaccine Deployment Project, as described to veterinary personnel, uses phrases such as: Not a silver bullet - a way of reducing risk: Another tool in the box - use with other measures,... Posted Jul 20 2009, 02:31 PM by Bovine TB

• Specific powers for Wales

  The Welsh Assembly has issued a document in which they describe a more comprehensive approach to TB. "Specific powers have already been granted in Wales for inspectors to enter land and obtain a warrant for the purpose of testing for disease. The... Posted Jul 14 2009, 01:08 PM by Bovine TB

• BCG - what it is, how it works.

  We are most grateful to Swiss veterinary practitioner Dr. Ueli Zellweger, who offers a thumbnail sketch of BCG, the vaccine with which Defra hope to stem the tide of badgerTB (and thus cattle casualties, camelids, cats and dogs, goats, sheep and pigs... Posted Jul 12 2009, 01:59 PM by Bovine TB

• "You've killed a third of my herd unnecessarily"

  Having lost over 60 cattle in the last couple of years, a SW pedigree beef breeder told a top Defra civil servant yesterday that the non-policy which she was following on badgerTB, was responsible for killing a third of his prize winning herd, unnecessarily... Posted Jul 10 2009, 01:45 AM by Bovine TB

• BVA press release

  The British Veterinary Association (BVA)has issued a press release which calls for "humane, targeted and managed culling in specific areas where badgers are regarded as a significant contributor to the persistent presence of bTB" Nicky Paull... Posted Jul 10 2009, 01:18 AM by Bovine TB

• Sometimes we wonder

  Defra's 'Farming link' magazine arrived today and in it was a piece on their badger vaccination plans, but also an absolute gem within the piece on 'Developments in Animal Health Research'. The former describes how this voluntary 'trial'... Posted Jul 09 2009, 01:55 PM by Bovine TB

• A different attitude..

  .. to TB problems within camelids is seen from the llama society, and we are pleased to post the following link to their site. The Britsh Llama Society say that bTB is spreading out of control and that llamas are susceptible to bTB. They remind members... Posted Jul 07 2009, 12:59 AM by Bovine TB

• Update on the terrier

  VLA have cultured samples of the generalised bTB found at postmortem in this little chap. Results have come back positive for m. bovis - the spoligotype being the one circulating in his local environment between tested, slaughtered, sentinel cattle and... Posted Jul 07 2009, 12:08 AM by Bovine TB