Badger Gives TB To A Seal Pup...

I'd love this to be proven to be true, but don't understand how it's possible to prove that a seal was infected by a badger when the method of transmission from badgers to cows is still largely to be proven. Unless I have been mis informed?
 
On farming today
The type (genetic fingerprint) of bTB is one from S Wales associated with badgers and cattle so it's a balance of probabilities.
The transmission of infection between cattle and badgers is well recognised. The exact means (badger excretion/abscesses on food) has not been established
 
I'd love this to be proven to be true, but don't understand how it's possible to prove that a seal was infected by a badger when the method of transmission from badgers to cows is still largely to be proven. Unless I have been mis informed?

Mike, it is possible to trace strains of TB as this varies all over the country. How precisely the seal pub was infected will obviously be open to some speculation but the strain it has been infected with has been traced to bTB infections in west wales which means that the seal pub must have been bitten by a badger there (this is the vets conclusion) or a cow (unlikely!) and then eventually been washed up on a beach in the south west which isn't at all unlikely given that it is the other side of the Bristol Channel and I'm sure a hungry badger would be attracted to a newly born seal pup and its placenta as an easy meal.

It is proven that TB is often transmitted by bites and, as we all know, badgers do bite each other alot. The connection from cows to badgers and vice versa is also proven but does not involve alot of biting, rather consuming infected food material containing the other species urine or faeces with a bit of air borne transmission thrown in for good measure when the two species mix at close quarters, such as when badgers raid cow houses to eat cattle food. Yes, this cross infection of species is complex and not all is yet known but there is plenty of science proving this.

What is the big subject of debate is whether culling badgers will reduce TB in cattle and is it right to do so. I believe it will and support this project. Only time will tell..........
 
I don't doubt that tracing strains of tb is possible, therefore the area where the seal was infected can be proven. Bit of a guess though as to how the seal was infected, the fact that speculation is presented as fact I find amusing.

As stated already on this thread, while most do not doubt the link between badgers and bovine tb afaik the exact method of transmission has not been scientifically proven. Correct me if this is incorrect as id find it interesting to read the research.
 
What is the big subject of debate is whether culling badgers will reduce TB in cattle and is it right to do so. I believe it will and support this project. Only time will tell..........

I'm told that a local badger vaccination trial has resulted in the incidence of bTB there going up by 25%...
 
I don't doubt that tracing strains of tb is possible, therefore the area where the seal was infected can be proven. Bit of a guess though as to how the seal was infected, the fact that speculation is presented as fact I find amusing.

As stated already on this thread, while most do not doubt the link between badgers and bovine tb afaik the exact method of transmission has not been scientifically proven. Correct me if this is incorrect as id find it interesting to read the research.
I hear you Mike. However, the examining vet says three things which are fact, it had bTb, that strain can be traced to cattle/badgers in west wales and it had been bitten which was considered to be the source of infection. Guess away at what bit it but my money is on it not being a cow!
 
When I saw "Badger gives TB to A..." in the sub-forum last post column, I had high hopes it would turn out to be "Badger gives TB to Anti". I'm disappointed now.
 
I don't doubt that tracing strains of tb is possible, therefore the area where the seal was infected can be proven. Bit of a guess though as to how the seal was infected, the fact that speculation is presented as fact I find amusing.

As stated already on this thread, while most do not doubt the link between badgers and bovine tb afaik the exact method of transmission has not been scientifically proven. Correct me if this is incorrect as id find it interesting to read the research.

It was not presented as fact, merely a hypothesis.

Badgers excrete bTB bacillus in their urine and saliva, they urinate on/eat grass/cow cake/feed which cows eat, and drink from water troughs from which cows drink. Thus cows become infected.

The video in this link is very good.
Veterinary Association for Wildlife Management - Home

Bovine TB
 
I'm just wondering reading this thread about the possible causes of spread off infection between cattle and broc.

Now i'm not familar with the type off dairying further down south in some off these badger/TB hotspots, but more and more dairies in the SW Scotland are now on zero graze and cows kept in all year round, i would imagine it would be relatively easy to make cow sheds and feed sheds badger proof so elimating any cross contamination that way. Does anybody know if any studies research been tried along those lines to try and narrow it down?
Or if a herd as been culled out keeping the new stock as badger free as possible, would it test positive again?

Thinking while typing this u'd still have a possiblity of contamination for grass silage? althou possibly slightly less from arable silage/whole crop or maize (due to crop hieght and no wilting time) Would bTB survive the silage making fermentation process anyway?
 
I'm just wondering reading this thread about the possible causes of spread off infection between cattle and broc.

Now i'm not familar with the type off dairying further down south in some off these badger/TB hotspots, but more and more dairies in the SW Scotland are now on zero graze and cows kept in all year round, i would imagine it would be relatively easy to make cow sheds and feed sheds badger proof so elimating any cross contamination that way. Does anybody know if any studies research been tried along those lines to try and narrow it down?
Or if a herd as been culled out keeping the new stock as badger free as possible, would it test positive again?

Thinking while typing this u'd still have a possiblity of contamination for grass silage? althou possibly slightly less from arable silage/whole crop or maize (due to crop hieght and no wilting time) Would bTB survive the silage making fermentation process anyway?

I don't have the answers to your specific questions, but I can tell you that closed herds - that is, ones where no other cattle are allowed anywhere near them, still go down with bTB...
 
I don't have the answers to your specific questions, but I can tell you that closed herds - that is, ones where no other cattle are allowed anywhere near them, still go down with bTB...

Spot on Paddy. Plenty of closed herds round here that were clean for years that have no neighbours with cattle suddenly go down and have persistent problems.

Countryboy has a point and asks a good question. I believe DEFRA have done studies in to how practical it is to keep badgers out of farm buildings. I guess it is easier with modern purpose built cow houses. There are guys round here who have gone over to zero grazing and house their cows 365 days a year specifically to keep them away from badgers and avoid infection.

What we must remember though is that it is the cows field rather than the badgers and there are loads of beef herds affected which rely upon summer grazing so this is not just about dairy. I do think it is rather nice to see cattle grazing pasture in the summer and find it very sad that this is in jeopardy because (in part at least) of a problem that should have been sorted a long time ago.

Time will tell.......
 
What we must remember though is that it is the cows field rather than the badgers and there are loads of beef herds affected which rely upon summer grazing so this is not just about dairy. I do think it is rather nice to see cattle grazing pasture in the summer and find it very sad that this is in jeopardy because (in part at least) of a problem that should have been sorted a long time ago.

Time will tell.......

Agreed...
 
I'm with u boys all the way, do not agree with dairy herds being in all year and the type of intensive dairy that do it also tend to have those big holstien type cows, bloody horrible looking things, can just about hear the bones rattling as they walk, compared to the more old fashioned Holstien type cows of yester year different breed of cow all together, far longer lasting and bull calves have a value.

Just thought if there is some indoor herds in would be possible to rule out or in certain types off transmission, use them as some sort of control, i obviously don't know anyone down there like u boys, but have heard plenty off horror stories about people with closed heards testing positive. If a closed herd is becoming infected or reinfected after a long time there must be an outside vector, ie wildlife, the zero graze herds could possibly prove that if they were staying clear it really is the wildlife.

Always more info to back the cull (or possibly not as the sase may be)
 
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