# Badger Cull - Should we or shouldn't we ?



## nukeadmin (Oct 10, 2003)

We had badgers in our garden for a very long time when we first moved into our current house, they had made a hole under a neighbours fence and trafficked through my lawn (without any damage) but devastated my other neighbours lawn totally.

I setup a badger camera to film them and the girls loved it

I suspect this cull will end up with huge fights between protesters and cullists (is that a word !)

Is this really going to affect TB in Cattle, any farmers out there who are more informed ?

What do you think, is it right to cull the badgers or leave them be ?


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## Kaytutt (Feb 5, 2013)

Vaccinate like we've done in Wales


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## tonyt (May 25, 2005)

We've already lost one Badger today but he jumped before he was culled..


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## Glandwr (Jun 12, 2006)

When I was a young man badgers around here were a rarity and something to be commented on when you saw evidence of.

Now they are some of the commonest roadkill. Enough said

Dick


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## GEMMY (Jun 19, 2006)

He's leaving cos we're all boring, and now he's retired he's got no time to view. :roll: 

So he's culled himself.

tony


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## javea (Jun 8, 2007)

I think we should.

Somewhere around 38,00 cattle were slaughtered last year because they had contracted TB. Imagine being a farmer who sees his cattle, perhaps reared over generations by his family, being carted away to be destroyed whenthere is nothing he can do to protect them from infection.

An injection to protect cattle is apparently at least 10 years away.

Culling in New Zealand and Australia was successful.

Mike


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## ThursdaysChild (Aug 2, 2008)

I was asked today where the badger fits in to the grand scheme of things.
I could not answer. Can anyone here ?


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## Glandwr (Jun 12, 2006)

ThursdaysChild said:


> I was asked today where the badger fits in to the grand scheme of things.
> I could not answer. Can anyone here ?


They are one of nature's ploughs

Dick


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## motormouth (Jul 3, 2010)

It's unfortunate to have to cull any animal, but it is pretty evident that they do spread TB in cattle. Given the choice between saving a herd of cattle, and a farmers livelihood, against culling a few thousand badgers, I'm afraid the badger loses every time.


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## Chausson (Oct 17, 2006)

Oh, Leave the poor chap alone he just wants to retire, no need to shoot him I think he's quite nice really.
:lol: :lol:


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## Chausson (Oct 17, 2006)

Oh, Leave the poor chap alone he just wants to retire, no need to shoot him I think he's quite nice really.
:lol: :lol:


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## 4maddogs (May 4, 2010)

The evidence that badgers spread TB is not a proven fact. There is as much evidence on both sides.

I think farming methods should be reexamined. This has become more of a problem with the rise in intensive farming methods. IMHO we cannot continue to squeeze every last ounce out of our "yields", spray pesticides everywhere and farm so intensively without expecting there to be no comeback.

Now, don't get me onto bees!


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## HarleyDave (Jul 1, 2007)

There's a common (mis?)perception round here (rural N. Hampshire) that the "roadkill" badgers we see so often now are actually dumped on/alongside the road by farmers who have "managed" the situation by shooting/gassing.

I have no evidence to support or reject this.

Anyone have an opinion - or better yet - any evidence?

I don't suppose anyone does a PM/autopsy (what's the difference?) on dead badgers to determine cause of death...


Regarding the current cull - I view it as a controlled experiment to assess whether the reduction in badger numbers in specific locations will have an impact on recorded cases of bovine TB in those areas.

Once we get the results - and this will take time - we should be able to determine whether it's a valid strategy.

I believe (based on BBC news item tonight) that since a similar strategy was implemented in Ireland, the incidence of bovine TB has dropped dramatically.

Cheers

Dave


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## 747 (Oct 2, 2009)

Why all the fuss?

Farmers can slaughter tens of thousands of Rabbits by introducing myxamatosis. And they can do it with a simple online purchase.


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## Stanner (Aug 17, 2006)

javea said:


> Culling in New Zealand and Australia was successful.
> 
> Mike


Maybe because Badgers are not native species there? The native equivalent of the Badger in NZ is the Kiwi.

I thought it was the Badgers which caught TB from the cows - it's just so inconsiderate of the Badgers to be susceptible to a disease of cattle isn't it?

Better bio-security the answer, then Badgers wouldn't get infected by cows in the first place.

The clue is in the name "Bovine" TB - NOT Badger TB. :roll:


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## HarleyDave (Jul 1, 2007)

The badgers may well catch it from the cows in the first place - but I believe it's the badgers (allegedly) that spread it.

Time will tell

Cheers

Dave


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## Stanner (Aug 17, 2006)

HarleyDave said:


> There's a common (mis?)perception round here (rural N. Hampshire) that the "roadkill" badgers we see so often now are actually dumped on/alongside the road by farmers who have "managed" the situation by shooting/gassing.
> 
> I have no evidence to support or reject this.
> 
> Anyone have an opinion - or better yet - any evidence?


I must admit for every dead squashed Badger in the road I must see two unsquashed and apparently undamaged, but still very dead, badgers on the verge.

The cars that hit them must have done so very gently. :wink:



> Once we get the results -


...and it turns out not to have made any difference, who says sorry to the badgers?

But of course it WILL make a difference, the agriculture industry will ensure it does one way or another - they dare not let it fail.


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## GEMMY (Jun 19, 2006)

Badgers do not spread T B, private planes spread TB to places where he can spread his warmongering philosophy :twisted: 

T B Liar to the Hague and strung up.!!!!!!!!!!!!!

tony


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## tonyt (May 25, 2005)

I remember having badger stew as a child - maybe that's the solution - rabbits/squirrels/badgers - all very edible.


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## motormouth (Jul 3, 2010)

Stanner said:


> [
> 
> I must admit for every dead squashed Badger in the road I must see two unsquashed and apparently undamaged, but still very dead, badgers on the verge.
> 
> ...


It obviously depends an how the badgers were hit. I killed one a few years ago and it made a right mess of my front end, but the badger looked unmarked as I didn't run over it.


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## Penquin (Oct 15, 2007)

IMO the cull as currently being done is an essential check as to how efficiently it can be done;

is it efficient at reducing the population?

is it humane ?

is it safe for those carrying it out and members of the public?

Those three priorities are all that it is doing, it's effectiveness in reducing bovine TB is years away from being shown.

IMO the problem has arisen since the badgers were protected - their population has increased exponentially as they have no predators others than cars and lorries....... Protecting them was sensible at the time but that protection should now be reviewed and revoked if it is clear that they have increased beyond a reasonable number that the environment can sustain, which appears to be the current situation.

A vaccination is years away and there is no other control possible, the alternative is to allow dairy farming to go to the wall and destroy all dairy cattle - at that point all ilk would have to be imported and all beef too - hardly a desirable outcome.

I do not like animals being destroyed but can see no alternative to the present situation which cannot continue. The cost of subsidy to dairy farmers for cattle destroyed as being "reactors" is immense and that cannot compensate for the mental anguish the destruction of prized herds built up over a lifetime causes.

Sadly Britain's "kindness to animals" has brought us to this situation  .

Dave


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