[Me]

Badgers are really good for "sayings" eg. Mad as a bag of badgers, rough as a badgers arse etc etc

Edit to add: I went to school with a chap who claimed to enjoy eating badger, I would have doubted his claim but for the fact he wore a crew cut hair do and a white vest all year round and came from Bodmin. There may be a niche farming market (once all the pesky cows are gone)

The long term unemployed.... I think they spread blue tongue

[SallyintNorth]

 

[Penninehillbilly]

so ignoring the TB argument is there a good reason for badgers ?
 

Gives Springwatch (other programmes available ) something for the public to aaah over 

[Buttermilk]

My understanding is that badgers became protected due to illegal badger baiting.  It provided more chance to convict than having to catch people actually in the act of a fight.

[sabrina]

We are over run with Badgers. I have to check our hill paddocks every day as they dig anything from a few inches to a foot or more. I worry about the ponies breaking a leg but have to use the grazing. Farmer next to me lost calves, broken legs due to deep holes. He told me that he tried to talk to someone about this and what could he do, answer don't use that land. They have killed some of my hens and when I am rearing orphan lambs i keep them inside at night until they are a good size. Local farmer has lost lambs. they do a lot of lamping before lambing to get the foxes but i would not be surprised if the odd badger gets caught to.

[Marches Farmer]

We had an underwoodsman living in our wood for six months and he used to make ham from roadkill badgers (I passed on that one).  We've had them dig out bumble bee nests from the barns.  We breed rare breed sheep, pigs, poultry and turkeys and would love to do the same with one or two cattle breeds but have only done calf-rearing in the lambing sheds once they're empty - I know how deeply it hits my neighbours when their cattle test positive or inconclusive - both emotionally and in the pocket - and I can really do without it.

I'd like to invite members of the Badger Trust to be present when pregnant cows and calves are being killed because they're reactors.  Let's see how loudly they go "Aah" when that happens.

[SallyintNorth]

I'd like to invite members of the Badger Trust to be present when pregnant cows and calves are being killed because they're reactors.  Let's see how loudly they go "Aah" when that happens.

That's a seriously good idea.

[Me]

Yes, they can look after the poor farmer crying his eyes out too

[devonlady]

I said that TB had been eradicated in our part of the world. I spoke too soon! 93 pupils and staff have been tested positive at a local senior school Three have confirmed cases of infectious TB.
How could this have happened with clean milk and meat, I don't suppose any of them have been kissing badgers!

[nutterly_uts]

I said that TB had been eradicated in our part of the world. I spoke too soon! 93 pupils and staff have been tested positive at a local senior school Three have confirmed cases of infectious TB.
How could this have happened with clean milk and meat, I don't suppose any of them have been kissing badgers!

I believe there is research into immigrants bring TB in from other countries, which is now spreading round the UK due to high density pockets of people

[devonlady]

I'm sorry to say that wouldn't surprise me

[nutterly_uts]

However, in the last 20 years TB cases have gradually increased, particularly among ethnic minority communities who are originally from places where TB is more common.

In 2013 around 8,000 cases of TB were reported in the UK. Of these, more than 5,000 affected people who were born outside the UK.

Taken from here : http://www.nhs.uk/Conditions/Tuberculosis/Pages/Introduction.aspx

More info here https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/360335/TB_Annual_report__4_0_300914.pdf

[devonlady]

So, what is the point of testing and slaughtering cattle and killing off badgers when anyone coming into this country aren't checked for TB or any other nasty diseases!! NB I have no objection at all to anyone in need coming to live here but the government should pull it's socks up and all should be blood tested.

[Louise Gaunt]

I think people coming through airports from high risk places fir TB have a chest x- Ray to look for TB. I am not sure what happens if it shows active disease, treatment at our expense I suspect. Other countries, e.g. Australia, require a chest x-Ray plus radiologist report to see if there is evidence of current or past infection as part of the immigration process before you leave your country of origin.

[sabrina]

If TB is on the increase as are the badgers does that not tell us something ?