Tag Archives: disease transmission

Feature: Protecting the pollinators part 2 – bees and disease

argylesock says… Here’s the second of three articles about pollinators, from the Wellcome Trust blog, which I’m passing on today.

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What’s infecting England’s cows with TB? Is it badgers, or farmers and climate change?

Originally posted on vetsbeyondreason:
Found at http://www.eenews.net/stories/1059991389. Erica Rex, E&E Europe correspondent ClimateWire: Friday, December 6, 2013 “There’s no security, or peace and tranquility, except underground.” — Badger, from “The Wind in the Willows” by Kenneth Grahame NEWENT, Gloucestershire, England…

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Cuts to red tape in British agriculture

Here’s a press release about ‘cuts to red tape’ in British agriculture. This arose, no doubt, from the Red Tape Challenge. Apparently these cuts will help to monitor and control livestock diseases while also saving money. Moving sheep (Ovis aries) … Continue reading

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Antibiotics to make livestock grow

Many farmers in the United States feed their herds and flocks antibiotics. Not just when the animals are ill. It’s done routinely to make healthy animals grow faster. Fewer antibiotics are fed here in Europe. But when the Transatlantic Trade … Continue reading

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Getting rid of bovine tuberculosis?

A farmer in my family told me, ‘People want clean meat.’ Bovine tuberculosis (bTB) is an infectious disease of cattle (Bos primigenius) caused by the bacterium Mycobacterium bovis. Our UK Government wants rid of bTB, because then the European Union … Continue reading

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What the British government is doing about bovine tuberculosis

Did you think I’d stopped thinking about bovine tuberculosis (bTB)? I haven’t and nor has our Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA). Here are two announcements from DEFRA today. First announcement: There’s to be ‘zero tolerance’ of missed … Continue reading

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Why not feed insects to other livestock?

Here in Britain, our Food and Environment Research Agency (FERA) coordinates PROteINSECT. This is about farming insects (entomoculture) as a source of protein for animal feed. FERA is part of our Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA). I’m … Continue reading

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Is the existing bovine TB eradication policy really working?

One of my favourite sources of information about bovine tuberculosis (bTB, caused by Mycobacterium bovis) is bovinetb.co.uk. Its unnamed author is ‘looking for the reform of a costly and misguided system.’ When I talk to farmers, I often hear support … Continue reading

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How people get bovine tuberculosis. Or don’t get it.

Here in Britain some cattle (Bos primigenius) get bovine tuberculosis (bTB). It’s caused by a bacterium called Mycobacterium bovis. Other animals including the wild badger (Meles meles) can get bTB. Some people think badgers are a reservoir of the disease … Continue reading

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Tuberculosis in cattle and people

Here in Britain some cattle (Bos primigenius) get bovine tuberculosis (bTB). Symptoms are mild until after the bacterium (Mycobacterium bovis) spreads through the animal’s body. But even in its early stages bTB is a serious problem for the farmer. Bovine … Continue reading

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