Very interesting article on foot & mouth disease

TwoShedsJackson

This http://www.independent.co.uk/news/UK/This_Britain/2001-03/plague040301.shtml is a long but very interesting article about why the current foot and mouth 'crisis' is basically a manufactured sham.

Please read this and offer any opinion you may have - it's changed my mind about the entire affair I must say.

Clintons Cat

there is plenty of political capital to be made from this,
already those opposed to the "right to ramble" legislation are using this to 'highlight' the dangers of allowing townies into the countryside to spread comunicable diseases

Shinji

It's entirely true, but it takes guts to publish that in the atmosphere over here at the moment. Foot and Mouth is NOT a serious disease, it does not kill animals or humans, or even make them particularly ill. It's a crisis entirely created by humans; British agriculture has made its bed, and now it's lying in it. I have no sympathy.

--Kaiser--

<font face="Verdana, Arial" size="2">Originally posted by Clintons Cat:
there is plenty of political capital to be made from this,
already those opposed to the "right to ramble" legislation are using this to 'highlight' the dangers of allowing townies into the countryside to spread comunicable diseases</font>

I fervently oppose the "Right to Ramble" legislation, coming from an agricultural background.
Are you saying this is bad?

Canaboid

<font face="Verdana, Arial" size="2">Originally posted by Shinji:
It's entirely true,B]</font>

Ahh, no it's not. I thought the same until I spoke to my 'oul fella and a couple of his used to be farmer mates. The virus may be fairly harmless but it causes weight loss which is not recovered from. The animals never "thrive" having suffered from it. In cows, milk yields are reduced permanently. Not a big deal ? Well farmers prefer to breed big fat food animals instead of little skinny ones. They're worth more. The effect of an outbreak on Irish meat exports would be catasthrophic.

PhilipMarlowe

Heard somewhere that it was probably caused by guys not cooking airline swill (properly or at all) and feeding that to pigs... now this information is not 1st or 2nd hand so I don't know how true it might be... but it does make shinji's point about the disease being created by agricultural methods valid...
However, his point about the disease not killing animals or even making them particularly sick is ******
..make up your own mind...

But regarding that Independent article, how can you reconcile these two quotes.. (one from the article, one from rte via Brittanica.com)

<font face="Verdana, Arial" size="2">
From Independent...

It doesn't even kill animals.

As the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (MAFF) itself admits, the sheep, pigs and cows being slaughtered and burned would shake it off in two or three weeks if they were allowed to live. Vets say that it is no more serious for animals than a bad cold for humans.
</font>

<font face="Verdana, Arial" size="2">
From Brittanica...

..a highly contagious viral disease affecting practically all cloven-footed mammals, including cattle, sheep, goats, and swine. Wild herbivores such as bison, deer, antelope, reindeer, llama, camel, giraffe, and elephant are also susceptible....

Within 24 to 48 hours it enters the bloodstream, causing fever. During this phase, lasting 24 to 36 hours, the virus is excreted in the saliva, the milk, the urine, and the faeces. A characteristic smacking of the lips then usually becomes prominent in the infected animal, ushering in the phase of the formation of vesicles on the tongue, gums, and lips of the mouth. These vesicles rupture in about 24 hours, leaving raw, inflamed, and extremely painful surfaces that heal in one to two weeks. By this time the animal refuses to eat solid food. Blisters also appear on the foot, causing lameness...

The losses caused by foot and mouth disease are tremendous. The mortality in ordinary mild epizootics (animal epidemics) is only about 5 percent, but malignant forms of the disease have led to losses of up to 50 percent. In those animals that survive, great losses in weight occur because the animals cannot eat. In surviving milk-producing animals the flow of milk is sharply diminished. Abortions and mastitis are common, and secondary infections are frequent. ( common cold me **** )

The virus can survive for relatively long periods of time in the air, in food and garbage, and even in hides, hair, and wool, so measures for controlling the disease are necessarily rigorous.

and lastly
There is no effective treatment for infected animals.</font>

Bard

"The hold on the Republic of Ireland's products at U.S. ports has been lifted.
The Republic has been reinstated as an unifected country, subject to further
review" http://www.aphis.usda.gov/oa/fmd/emoc8.html

Previously, all shipments of meat products received from the Republic of Ireland
at U.S. ports of entry with a production date later than January 15, 2001 were
not allowed entry.

Paladin

No Foot and Mouth is NOT the common cold, but similiarly its NOT a serious disease.
It probably wont kill anyone or any animal.

And I thought it was widely known this IS an economic disease? Its easy to vacinate against, but if we do that then we accept the disease is present and lose our 'White Label' for meat exports, which is a massive economic loss for Ireland. This is a country where farming is still a massive economy and if the farming economy was ****ed it would effect us all. THATS what the measures are about.

Clintons Cat

<font face="Verdana, Arial" size="2">Originally posted by --Kaiser--:

I fervently oppose the "Right to Ramble" legislation, coming from an agricultural background.
Are you saying this is bad?

</font>

Well if you expect the townies to subsidise your lifestyle it only seems fair you let em see a cow once in a while.
The government has already underwritten the cost of the epidemic, though not consequential losses incured by the aboiters and hauliers.

Clintons Cat

and i should add i also come from an agricultural background and consider it my right to stare sideways at any townie who ventures down my drove.

--Kaiser--

Well if you expect the townies to subsidise your lifestyle it only seems fair you let em see a cow once in a while.

I don't understand what you mean by "subsidise your lifestyle.Can you be more specific?

Canaboid

He's taking the P1$$, and I for one laughed
I'm a bit simple, mind.