It’s odd how strangely divorced I feel from the news of the new FMD outbreak in Surrey and all the horror it entails.
I can’t really understand my own reaction. It surprises me. But I don’t think it’s just me. Even the national news is remarkably devoid of hype and those gruesome, unnecessary, pictures of dead or dying livestock. And when I speak about it with anyone involved in farming, there is a telling hesitation before the appropriate expressions and remarks.
Feelings ought to be heightened as the restrictions come at an especially difficult time (not that there’s ever a ‘right’ time) and will, once again, have a huge effect.
This is the season when many of the big sheep and cattle sales are held, some having been postponed once already due to backlog from the August outbreak. And there’s tupping (running the rams with the ewes) which all sheep farmers should be in the thick of.
I put my tups in with the ewes on the 1st October, but ‘tease’ the ewes for two weeks beforehand. Teasing helps to synchronise oestrus so you have a nice, tight lambing pattern instead of a long drawn out one. To tease the ewes, I keep the rams the other side of the fence, but in clear sight and smell. This should be happening now. But it’s impossible because our ewes are over on rented land and the tups are here on the home farm. Tupping will be put back until the movement restrictions are lifted, and lambing will be late.
Having gone clear on my TB test, I’m able to sell my bulling heifers. One buyer wants the heifers to be served by my bull. Fine and dandy – but he’s here at the home farm while the heifers are away on other land. I like to keep the bull with the heifers for six weeks as this covers any returns – cows ‘come bulling’ (cycle) every three weeks. I only have sixty days in which to sell from the first TB test. Time is already looking lean…will I be able to sell or will the restrictions put the scuppers on that?
Faced with this enormous disruption, why aren’t we furious? I guess we are emotionally-overloaded, feelings deadened?
But, but, but it’s wonderful to have Joe, Jess and Theo here. Impossible to be glum – they make me feel alive and zinging!
Hopefully the rumoured lifting of restrictions in certain areas will happen, and the now permitted movements from farm to abattoirs will help.
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September 16, 2007 at 11:51 am
Jane
I was watching the pictures on the news today of animals being distroyed as “precautions”, and the item lasted less than 30 seconds on national news…. it has already become old news. Hopefully the lifting of restrictions will now help you get back to normal, but is there any feeling that maybe the restrictions have been lifted too quickly this time? and how long can it incubate (30 days? more?) before rearing it’s ugly head again? I’ve just been watching Countryfile about a woman who breeds Kune Kune pigs. Easy to look after and very friendly! I want some…. see http://www.bartonhill.co.uk/kkp.php
September 17, 2007 at 10:17 am
paula
Hi Jane
I feel we know and understand that movement, and lifting of restrictions too early, is dangerous, especially if the disease has found its way into the sheep population, but, because it’s been such a devastating year for farming in one way and another, there’s this blanking-off I spoke of, and a wish to just get back to normality.
This bout of FMD is a bit puzzling as the usual incubation period for the disease is relatively short - between 2 and 14 days. It’s also a virus that breaks down quickly in UV light, so sunny weather, which we’ve been having, tends to halt its spread.
However, scientists have said, that in the right conditions - dark, cool, neither acid nor alkali - it can survive for longer (I think I heard somewhere that it can then last up to 50 days). One theory is that it found itself a pocket of the right conditions somewhere in the environment and spread that way. The other is that it’s got itself into the sheep population, which would have disastrous effects if the government continue with their non-vaccination policy.
FMD is a first and foremost a ‘commercial’ disease and is not generally life-threatening though the young and elderly are more at risk; similar to humans reactions to a flu virus.
So I guess the best thing would be is for scientists to find out how it survived (conspiracy theories abound!) and for the government to take a long hard look at their non-vaccination policies.
Love your pigs!
September 17, 2007 at 4:01 pm
Linda Joy
Hi there Paula
So sorry I’ve not been in touch about the ‘puffins link’. I’ve been very busy moving house and no access to the internet.
As you couldn’t get into the link can I suggest you try this instead. Go into ‘Google UK’ and then feed in view/index.shtml If you run down the list that comes up you will find the ‘puffin link’ on the first page. You can use the arrows to look around and also zoom in using ‘tele’.
Unfortunately the weather is very bad today so you can’t see them very well but on a good day there are lots to see.
Hope you get better luck this time. Please let me know how you get on.
Kindest regards Linda
September 17, 2007 at 10:06 pm
paula
That’s really, really good of you Linda, to take the time and trouble to find another way.
It’s late and I’ve a council meeting all day tomorrow (cattle thing) that I think is going to be very wearing and very, very long…so I’d better go to bed. But I can look forward to playing around with the link when I get back.
I hope your move went okay and it’s now worth the exhaustion/stress bit.
Take care and thanks - I’ll let you know how I get on.
September 24, 2007 at 5:12 pm
paula
Linda, it worked and was great!
I spent a long time playing around - fantastic. A bit of a bad weather day when I looked but still really facinating…thank you.
Where is it sighted - one of the scandinavian countries? Maybe it told me somewhere?
Hope you’re settling into your new house and beginning to enjoy it now
Again thanks for all your time and effort.