Farm virus 'can infect wild animals'

[Still Waters]

A livestock virus sweeping through British sheep flocks and cattle herds has infected wild deer, say scientists.

The disease, which is spread by insects, causes birth defects in lambs and can reduce milk yields in cattle.

Outbreaks have been reported in farm animals in Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, Luxembourg, The Netherlands, Spain and the UK.

European scientists say wild deer can catch the virus, and are calling for the impact on wildlife to be monitored.

http://www.bbc.co.uk...onment-21452990

[freetoroam]

A livestock virus sweeping through British sheep flocks and cattle herds has infected wild deer, say scientists.

Outbreaks have been reported in farm animals in Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, Luxembourg, The Netherlands, Spain and the UK.

SBV first appeared in south east England more than a year ago, but has now spread to every county in England and Wales.

Reports from veterinary students at the university suggest losses as high as 30% of lambs in some infected flocks.

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Cough cough!! hello!! is this what we are eating?

is this the reason why they have decided to use horse instead???

can`t see anything about the affect on humans, is this because they are not actually sure yet?

[Ealdwita]

Well, they called off the 'Great Badger Massacre of 2012' so are we now being invited to blow Bambi's brains out in the interests of farming? I don't know where these 'veterinary students at the university' got their figures from, but down here in the back-of-beyond of sheep country, none of the sheep-farmers I've spoken to have experienced anything like 30% losses!

I'll start worrying when (and if) SBV becomes notifiable!

[Eldorado]

Talking of deer...

'A gamekeeper has criticised a government agency over a proposed cull of nearly 700 deer and calves.'

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-21470489

[freetoroam]

"The general body condition of deer at this time of year is poor and the culled animals will go into the food chain, which would seem to contradict the aspiration of producing quality venison in Scotland.

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I do not think they give two hoots anymore, as long as they do not get caught, they will give us anything. As long as their profits do not drop, the condition of the meat, be it deer, pig, cow or horse is irrelevant to them.....as i say....as long as they do not caught, which many have been in the past few weeks!!

But this problem is not the culling as such, its the timing of it.

[Ealdwita]

All deer herds, whether 'wild' or 'kept' have to be culled from time to time, but the culling season is there for a reason, and culling outside of those dates causes a great deal of 'breeding stress' among the herds. Shooting the wrong animals at the wrong time will cause whole herds to disappear!

19 animals per square kilometre is quite a low density, and reducing the numbers to that level at this time of year may mean that the usual candidates for culling might be unidentifiable, unlike during the season when it's usually fairly obvious which animals need to be culled. Maybe it's just my paranoia kicking in again, but I can't help feeling there's more to this than meets the eye.

I shall monitor this, in case some of our South-of-the-Border blockheads try to get in on the act!

Thanks for the 'heads up' Eldo.

[freetoroam]

All deer herds, whether 'wild' or 'kept' have to be culled from time to time, but the culling season is there for a reason, and culling outside of those dates causes a great deal of 'breeding stress' among the herds. Shooting the wrong animals at the wrong time will cause whole herds to disappear!

19 animals per square kilometre is quite a low density, and reducing the numbers to that level at this time of year may mean that the usual candidates for culling might be unidentifiable, unlike during the season when it's usually fairly obvious which animals need to be culled. Maybe it's just my paranoia kicking in again, but I can't help feeling there's more to this than meets the eye.

I shall monitor this, in case some of our South-of-the-Border blockheads try to get in on the act!

Thanks for the 'heads up' Eldo.

Absolutely, and as it says, "The general body condition of deer at this time of year is poor" because it is not culled at the right time.