From: "Sonja van Baardwijk-Holten"
> I guess you haven't heard about what has been going on around here. A
rather
> harmless, but very contagious desease is turning our meat and milk
industry
> upside down. Bankrupting farmers and businesses.
>
> To keep prices up and (foreign) markets open to EU cattle, any animal
being
> diagnosed as _possibly_ infected, or any cattle near an area of _possibly_
> infected animals with foot and mouth desease have to be killed instantly.
In a
> 1 km radious around this possible infection sources, every stable has to
be
> cleared of cows, pigs, sheep and goats. No exceptions are made, not even
for
> pet animals or very rare zoo specimens.
> You know what I find most disgusting? It is fairly simple to vaccinate
against
> this rather harmless disease. The disease isn't deadly, it doesn't pose
any
> threat to other species or humans.
The vaccine doesn't give complete immunity, vaccinated animals can
still carry the disease, and the vaccine has to be renewed every year.
Foot and mouth infects all cloven-hooved animal, greatly reduces
milk production, and can kill young animals.
The current slaughter policy isn't satisfactory, but neither is
the current vaccine. I don't think there are any good solutions.
--
Robert
