NT Tennant's !what if you have NT all around you that doesn't give me much chance of getting involved in cull and being successful .Just going to migrate on to our place !For anyone that thinks, "I don't have cattle so why should I sign up"
Remember this, the culls have been structured so the industry takes the lead, this allows us to show how serious we are about dealing with the problem.
The flip side of this is that if the zones fail to get their required sign up, the government will be able to turn around and say "well farmers had the chance but didn't care enough to do it", it gives the government a chance to wash their hands.
My point is, today the problem is TB in cattle, tomorrow it could be something entirerly different in another sector, if we as a industry don't work together now to make a success of the culls, we will not get further assistance on other potential threats in the future.
A failure now is giving the government a free pass at our cost.
Re- the protected status, there is absolutely zero chance of that being revoked,
I like most folk would like to see it changed, but it ain't going to happen, no political party is going to touch that with a barge pole, hence the culls are as they are.
Re- non cattle farmers, forget TB, many sheep farmers have experienced badger attacks on lambs, arable farmers have crops rolled and rooted by badgers.
Obviously there's a whole wildlife issue, including the health of the badgers themselves!
Re- deer, my understanding is that deer are a overspill of the disease just like cattle, so comments that the badger cull is pointless unless the deer are sorted aren't quite right, deer are mostly actively managed anyway,
If the source of infection (badgers are controlled) then surely the knock on benefit will be a massive reduction in deer TB?
Finally those who have a chance to actually do something, spare a though for NT tenants, who have been firmly told they can not take part.