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Badgers and TB
Dec. 23rd, 2005 07:33 pmHere's the short version:
"widespread and repeated culling of badgers -- yielded both a reduction of 19% in TB incidence in cattle within the culled area and an increase of 29% in TB incidence in cattle in the surrounding area".
In other words you make it better for some farmers at the expense of others.
However, "The Badger Trust conservation group wants the government to shift the focus towards preventing the spread of TB among cattle by improving diagnosis and testing. Its spokesman Trevor Lawson says that since Northern Ireland introduced such measures in November 2004, rates of TB there have fallen by 40 per cent."
In other words, you can cut TB rates by twice the amount you get by culling, without killing a single badger.
For the full article in New Scientist, go here http://www.newscientist.com/channel/life/mg18825303.400
"widespread and repeated culling of badgers -- yielded both a reduction of 19% in TB incidence in cattle within the culled area and an increase of 29% in TB incidence in cattle in the surrounding area".
In other words you make it better for some farmers at the expense of others.
However, "The Badger Trust conservation group wants the government to shift the focus towards preventing the spread of TB among cattle by improving diagnosis and testing. Its spokesman Trevor Lawson says that since Northern Ireland introduced such measures in November 2004, rates of TB there have fallen by 40 per cent."
In other words, you can cut TB rates by twice the amount you get by culling, without killing a single badger.
For the full article in New Scientist, go here http://www.newscientist.com/channel/life/mg18825303.400
