More on burning carcasses
26 March 2001
More on burning carcasses
THERE can now be little question that the policy of burning carcasses is seriously risking spreading foot-and-mouth disease.
There is a saying that those who dont learn from history are condemned to repeat it; in our case, about every 30 years.
The 1969 report into the 1967 outbreak clearly outlined the risk that “foot-and-mouth virus might be carried by thermal air currents from the burning carcasses”.
However there is good news for our bird life.
For rooks, crows, and starlings its Christmas, birthday and Easter rolled into one at present as they pick at the diseased carcasses and release the virus in their droppings all over the place the next day.
Incidentally, does anyone know what the export/import balance on meat is?
How many sheep, cattle and pigs, dead or alive, do we export a year, and how many do we import?
I dont mean right now, of course.
Robert Nelberg
nelberg@interactic.demon.co.uk