These FMD scares scare me, that’s for sure. I feel myself becoming relaxed, complacent even, then I catch a little snippet on the news about another, and, oh no, another suspected case.
I feel that horrid lurch in my stomach (I always listen to the radio in the truck where I hear these things), rush home to check the online news and hardly find it mentioned. Breathe a sigh of relief and feel myself becoming complacent again. There’s so much we need to get done on the farm at the moment it’s easy to forget any threat of FMD and become driven by the need to get on.
Yesterday I was working at Pavla’s shop, Crede, in Exeter. We were extraordinarily busy for a rainy Tuesday in August, which was good. We are also having large deliveries of autumn stock arrive which has to be unpacked, priced and merchandised. Exciting too, as we get to try on all the gorgeous new collections.
A couple of customers recognised me from a magazine I write for and asked questions about the farm and countryside issues. If I can do my bit to bridge the gap between town and country dwellers and encourage a better understanding, then that’s great and one of my ambitions. One of the questions was: why are farmers kicking up such a fuss at the ban on animal movements? The most obvious reasons, such as the lack of trading due to closed markets, weren’t puzzling them as much as not being able to move stock between separated parts of the farm.
sudden realisation I’ve put forage out for them
Let me explain why that’s problem for me and many others. I have two parcels of rented land and at the moment all my cows and calves are on one and all my young stock on the other. We have run out of grass on the part where the cows and calves are and yet I’m unable to move them onto new pastures back at the home farm a mile away, they are stuck there until the restrictions are lifted. Now I’m quite lucky and have surplus forage from last year to feed them but some farmers have run out (maybe from having to feed during the very wet weather, or increased stocking rates due to TB restrictions) which causes huge stress and worry to the farmer and animals, easily turning into a serious welfare issue.
feeding frenzy!
So, along with every other farmer I am praying that the end of this week sees Defra confirm that the disease has been eradicated and we can get back to normal.
6 comments
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August 15, 2007 at 11:10 pm
farmingfriends
Let’s hope the restrictions are lifted soon.
On a lighter note your cows are magnificent looking and I love the way they have moved quickly to the forage!
August 16, 2007 at 8:35 am
paula
Thank you Sara - they are rather splendid aren’t they, even if I say so myself!
In the top picture the cattle are actually charging towards the feeder - I couldn’t quite capture the ground shaking speed they were travelling at!
Now they hear the tractor coming from half a mile away and getting into the field is exciting stuff…
August 16, 2007 at 10:01 pm
sheepdrove
Some lovely cattle there. Looking gorgeous in those pictures.
Found you because you mentioned FMD, actually. Reading around on that. Yes it’s hugely worrying, but this week we’ve begun to relax a bit.
Having said that, Sheepdrove Organic Farm is currently absorbed with raising awareness about vaccines to control Foot and Mouth Disease.
It’s all about caring for the animals, and getting people to change they way they think. The slaughter of 362 perfectly healthy animals at Hunts Hill Farm was far too easily accepted as ‘necessary’ by the media.
Usually we’re much more positive! Sheepdrove’s one of those places that is known for inspiring others and educating about organic, what it means, and why it’s important. So it’s nice to see your blog.
Regards - Jason, from the farm.
August 17, 2007 at 10:03 am
paula
Glad you found me, Jason. I totally agree with your comments about vaccination and the unnecessary cull of hundreds of healthy animals.
In the 2001 outbreak the BBC flew me to Amsterdam to discuss vaccination policies with their minister and chief veterinary officer as I’d voiced opinions on the need to vaccinate in the UK following the appalling horror of the ‘medieval’ mass cull strategy.
[Take a look at posts from people in countries where FMD is endemic and vaccination is routine. They find it hard to understand our fear, horror and hysteria at an FMD outbreak.]
The UK needs to seriously think about a coherent, humane approach that combines ring-vaccination on a protective basis, with immediate slaughter of infected animals and those likely to have come into contact with infected animals. This, coupled with an immediate nationwide movement ban (which the Government did so decisively this time), could form the foundation of a much less disruptive and much more compassionate FMD control strategy.
August 23, 2007 at 9:55 am
Pam Rollinson
Its so easy for us ‘city folk’ to ignorant just what you farmers have to go thru, with the last FMD outbreak it came home to some of us that it wasnt all baby lambs and waving wheat fields. I live on the outskirts of a country town and we were close enough to smell the fires and see the smoke and of course the relentless scenes on tv of burning cattle, I cried thru each and every new report and couldnt imagine how you as farmers were coping with it all monetarily and emotionally, all that hard work breeding and caring for them and seeing them end that way. I listened a bit more this time to just what the restrictions were and was shocked how tightly you are all tied by them one farmer wondering how he was going to help his beasts who were due to give birth because he couldnt bring them into a better place for it. I hope and pray that the news today is what you want to hear and that future policies take into account the possibility of putting in to place the suggestions above………………thank you to you and each and every farmer that perseveres to bring us, sometimes seemingly unappreciative city dwellers, our food milk and bread………………Pam
August 23, 2007 at 10:58 am
paula
Thank you, Pam, for your understanding and compassion, it means a great deal.
Some of the comments on the BBC news website this time were a slap in the face they were so appallingly harsh and vitriolic. I really began to wonder if there was any future for the farming community.
With any luck sites like this will help both city and country dwellers have more communication and understanding of each other. Fingers crossed.