Q.
I Know enough about Bovine TB to know that prior to 2001 it was almost a thing of the past in the UK and restricted to a small area but through very poor bio-security measures during restocking of cattle after the Foot and Mouth crisis it was spread about the country in cattle. Bovine TB even turned up in parts of the UK where there are no Badgers so can you explain that.
A.
In 1999 a scientific report found badgers that stay closest to their setts and social groups were the least likely to be infected .The Badgers that were most likely to Carry T.B. Foraged out side their territory’s , and were more likely to intrude on others territories ( leading to fighting and spread of T.B, between social groups ) .
So why did the Kreb trials R.B.C.T try catching over a very short period with cages, out side the very setts they had identified as the least likely to be infected ?
With interference from animal groups ( smashing cages, but much worse stealing cages with badgers and releasing them into different areas ) Sadly foot and mouth and movement restrictions for cattle , as well as the thousands of cattle that were slaughtered, one year into R.B.C.T. caused large disruption to infected and over populated badger areas through disruption to feed sources.
This sequence of events with T.B already out of control in the Badgers. If cattle are tested for T.B. and are clear on test but then put out to pasture with infected badgers ,T.B. can be pasted from those badgers as soon as the same day the test was carried out or subsequent days, and no amount of bio-security will have any affect on the totally free to roaming highly infected badgers.
If cattle have been infected this way, and subsequently moved to another holding , this will be picked on the next test, as after foot and Mouth these newly infected holdings have NOT become hot spots for T.B merely Farms with cattle that have been brought in carrying the disease.
Cattle have for years been traded all over the country, T.B. Is being spread by wildlife ever further because of the ignorance and misinterpretation of science.
Look at the maps of T.B progression since 1990s
Bio-security is being used as an excuse to shift blame on to farmers for political and scientific incompetence.Badgers healthy or infected hold no regard for any boundaries or apparent security apart from that of neighbouring badger communities. If you would like to know more please feel free to read the book.
Regards Bryan