Bovine TB Blog

August 2009 - Posts

• 'Alas poor Yorick.....'

  We have mentioned not a few times a 'management' strategy, based on badger's own behaviour as a possible answer to the TB problems this country faces. But the idea that badgers themselves exclude their old and sick members has yet to find... Posted Aug 24 2009, 01:02 PM by Bovine TB

• bTB Risk - whose?

  We touched on the subject of the 'risk' from exposure to mycobacterium bovis , the causal agent of bovine tuberculosis, in our posting here. And steering everything to do with this Grade 3 pathogen is HSE (Health and Safety Executive) who are... Posted Aug 17 2009, 01:49 PM by Bovine TB

• bTB in Spain

  For the first time in 40 years, bTB has been found in continental mainland European badgers, according to a report in the Veterinary Record,[163:1 59-160(2008). R.Sobrino DVM (and others) say that this is the first time that active disease has been found... Posted Aug 16 2009, 12:50 PM by Bovine TB

• Pathogens - Lest we forget.

  Joining the media frenzy over a member Woodchester Park's staff who is said to have had a brush with badgerTB, is today's Times. But this should serve as a reminder to all of us, of the reasons for the eradication of bTB. All except those who... Posted Aug 13 2009, 01:54 PM by Bovine TB

• Crass and Insensitive.

  On Saturday morning, BBC's early morning Farming Today programme covered bTB; in particular they concentrated on the FCN (Farm Crisis Network) report which we covered last month here. This listed comments in harrowing detail of the emotional impact... Posted Aug 11 2009, 01:56 AM by Bovine TB

• "Defra have put up their fence" - after the event.

  We covered the story of some very mobile alpacas from Devon and the trail of destruction caused by bTB, diligently uncovered by VLA spoligotyping here, using a report of the incident published in a letter to the Veterinary Record in July 2009. The owner... Posted Aug 11 2009, 01:00 AM by Bovine TB

• Update - New tests for TB in Alpacas

  In case anyone is under any illusion about just what 'tuberculosis' does to a lung when it takes hold, this is a photo of pulmonary cavitation in an alpaca called Willow. He had passed a skin test in late January 2009, and another in early May... Posted Aug 09 2009, 01:59 PM by Bovine TB

• Cause and effect?

  Staff working at MAFF's, Defra's , CSL's, FERA's Woodchester Park (otherwise known as Badger Heaven) in the Cotswolds, are to be tested for tuberculosis, following the possible infection of personel working there - on one of these? Gloucestershire... Posted Aug 09 2009, 01:40 AM by Bovine TB

• Scotland goes it alone ..

  ... maybe. It was reported last week that Scotland was exploring the possibility of applying to the EU Commission for TB free status. Farmers Weekly reports; Scotland is set to capitalise on its low incidence of bovine tuberculosis by applying to the... Posted Aug 09 2009, 01:15 AM by Bovine TB