Sir,
A number of statements made by Robert Taylor are misleading and unhelpful (I, Badgers aren’t the real risk, July 27). When diagnosed, reactor cattle are isolated, their manure treated with disinfectant or stored for up to six months in accordance with Government (veterinary) guidelines.
These guidelines also detail how to spread manure safely to reduce any risk when spread. With a relatively small number of reactor cattle on each farm in isolation before being slaughtered, there is not enough waste to make up the ‘thousands of gallons’ claimed by Mr Taylor.
UV rays from the sun kills the TB Bacilli within a very short time, so spreading on a warm sunny day will kill any remnant relatively quickly. The UK’s climate ensures it will certainly not last four years, despite Mr Taylor’s assertion.
There is also scant evidence to support his claim that water transmits the disease, with a number of scientific organisations in agreement that running watercourses provide a poor environment for transmission, as the dilution of the bacteria is so great there is little risk to those downstream.
Mr Taylor’s final claim, that stress levels on dairy cows leads to a higher rate of infection and lifespan is simply not true. There is no evidence whatsoever to link milk production to TB incidence and within the dairy industry there are many farms that produce yields significantly below the national average suffering breakdowns. In addition, the average lifespan of a dairy cow has increased in the last few years despite rising TB incidence in the national herd.
The Government’s decision to tackle this terrible disease is based on a science-led policy. Wild presumptions will not help, nor further this debate.
John Royle
Farm Policy adviser
NFU
No comments have been made.