Slaughter heartbreak as badgers blamed for spreading TB to pet calf Bee

SCHOOLGIRL Katherine Bigwood has been left distraught after being told a prize-winning calf she kept as a pet has to be destroyed because it has TB.
Katherine, aged 15, of Williton, was given the animal by her beef farmer father, Graham Bigwood.
Mr Bigwood, who rents a smallholding in Sampford Brett, has already lost eight of his 14 cattle to the disease.
Now, the seven-month-old calf, a Hereford-cross-Charolais named Bee, has to be sent to an abattoir for slaughter on Monday.
Katherine (pictured) was attending West Somerset Community College, in Minehead, when Mr Bigwood called to break the news that officials from the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) had confirmed Bee was infected with TB.
It was thought the disease was passed on by wildlife, most likely by badgers, which are known to carry it.
Now, Katherine is asking why the Government has refused to order a cull of diseased badgers.
She said: “I do not see what is going to be gained by shooting her when the problem is going to carry on because nobody is doing anything about the badgers.
“It is unfair my cow has to be shot while wild animals which have the disease and are spreading it are left alone.
“I do not know how I am going to feel when she has to go. I cried my eyes out. I keep telling myself that she has to be shot or otherwise she will suffer a slow and painful death, but it does not make it any easier.
“The real point is that cows are going to have to carry on being killed as long as the animals that spread the disease are going to be allowed to live.”
Katherine said she had been planning to enter more shows with Bee after the calf and her mother Honey won the ‘cow and calf’ class at last year’s Dunster Show.
She said: “I was planning to do a lot more showing with her this year because she is such a lovely animal. I was really looking forward to it.”
Mr Bigwood, who is also chairman of Williton Twinning Association, said: “Farming is a way of life. I have to help my animals and they are my way of life.”
National Farmers’ Union press officer Ian Johnson said: “Katherine’s case and many other similar ones, not to mention businesses that have gone to the wall, are all down to Government inertia.
“They are trying to be all things to all people and achieving nothing.
“Nobody complains about other characters from The Wind in the Willows being controlled, such as moles, and deer are routinely managed by being culled.
“The Government just cannot sit on its hands and do nothing.”
A Defra spokesman said bovine TB was recognised as a serious problem, but, having considered all the evidence, it was concluded culling could make the disease worse if it was not sustained over time or delivered effectively.
The spokesman said public opposition and the reluctance of some landowners to co-operate would also make a cull difficult.

EU foal microchipping plan sparks fears for future of Exmoor Ponies

EUROPEAN Union legislation forcing foals of semi-feral ponies to have to be microchipped have caused anger among Exmoor Pony owners.
The new rule means that from July 1, foals must be microchipped by the December 31 following their birth, or within six months of birth, whichever is later.
It affects not just ponies on Exmoor, but also those living wild on Dartmoor, in the New Forest, and on the Welsh mountains.
But there were fears the cost of the new measures could lead to foals becoming ill or dying if an owner was unable or unwilling to comply.
One pony owner, Sue Westwood, said: “If you are selling a £3,000 animal, you will not worry about paying an additional £70 to get it microchipped, but for a foal that sells for £50 to £100, it is too much.
“If vets cannot treat a foal unless it is chipped, then owners will not call them out.”
Valerie Sherwin, who runs the Moorland Mousie Trust charity which preserves and promotes the Exmoor Pony said: “I cannot see what good it is going to do from an identification point of view.
“You cannot read the chips unless you get right up to the pony and, bearing in mind these are wild animals, the only time that will happen is when they are rounded up in the autumn.
“If a pony is involved in a road accident, the first thing we need to know is what its brand number is, so the ponies will have to be branded as well.”
Mrs Sherwin said the system would be difficult to police and some owners could be tempted to ignore the regulation.
MP Roger Williams, who has opposed the EU regulation, said: “The new regulations could have a significant financial impact and result in the loss of ponies.”
A spokesman for the Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) said a public consultation exercise on the new regulations was currently being carried out and would close on February 2.
The Defra spokesman said: “The draft legislation already contains derogations for ponies in the New Forest and on Dartmoor, so it may not be the case that all animals must be microchipped.
“Organisations involved in looking after semi-feral herds are encouraged to comment on the draft legislation.
“Microchipping provides an essential link between a horse and its passport and strengthens existing horse identification requirements.
“It may also prove useful for disease control and surveillance purposes and for the recovery of stolen horses.”
The Defra consultation document can be found at http://www.defra.gov.uk/corporate/consult/equine-id/index.htm.

Speak up on private water supply testing before November 3

PEOPLE and businesses on private water supplies in West Somerset are being reminded that the consultation on the Government’s proposed changes to the way their supplies are tested and managed will close in less than a fortnight.
The proposed new Private Water Supplies Regulations, in line with a 1998 EU directive, revise the standards for private drinking water supplies.
The key proposals include categorising private water supplies into three groups:

• Single private dwellings
• Small domestic supplies for fewer than 50 people
• Large domestic supplies for more than 50 people or serving commercial premises

Under the new legislation, councils will be required to sample more often and assess the risk of supplies.
Risk assessments will involve surveying the private water supply to minimise the contamination of source water, reduce or remove contaminants by treatment, and prevent contamination during storage and distribution to consumers’ taps.
The proposals aim to make it easier for councils to take action in the event of a problem, but also to resolve issues informally where possible.
The legislation covers authorisations, improvement notices, restriction notices, appeals, and charges.
More information on the consultation can be found on DEFRA’s website at www.defra.gov.uk/environment/water/index.htm, and responses should be sent to pws.consultation@defra.gsi.gov by November 3.

Council offers exclusive 'walk on the wild side' for Exmoor visitors

AN exclusive weekend getaway for people wishing to ‘walk on the wild side’ is being launched on Exmoor.
Visitors will experience a red deer and Exmoor pony safari led by the National Trust, and can also enjoy an otter and bird walk in the stunning scenery of Hawkridge with the Somerset Wildlife Trust.
Exmoor National Park will lead a bee and butterfly walk over the moors, while Porlock’s unique coastal and inland flora and fauna will be explored with former park ranger Brian Pearce.
Blue Motor’s vintage Exmoor coach will transport visitors to the locations.
The weekend break is being organised by Porlock Tourist Association and Exmoor Events, and numbers are limited to 30 places.
Visitors are offered a choice of bed and breakfast accommodation in the stunning Vale of Porlock.
Lunches at the Lorna Doone Hotel and at the Anchor Hotel, overlooking picturesque Porlock Weir, are programmed into the action-packed weekend and included in the price.
In the evening, the Home Cook will be serving a three-course meal made from delicious local produce.
Exmoor Events organiser Jill Homewood said: “This is a fantastic, one-off opportunity to for people to experience many aspects of Exmoor and its wildlife.
“The walks and safari are led by experts so it is a great chance for people to learn what makes Exmoor so special.
“Places are strictly limited, so we are advising people to book early.”
The weekend break starts with guests arriving on Friday, July 4, and staying until Sunday, July 6.
The break, including all events, costs £195 per person. Accommodation is allocated on first-come, first-served basis.
To book, contact Porlock Visitor Centre on 01643 863150 or email porlockci@somerset.gov.uk.
For more information visit www.porlock.co.uk.
The new initiative to promote Exmoor has received financial support from Exmoor National Park’s sustainable development fund, provided by DEFRA and SWRDA.
It was organised by in conjunction with the Exmoor Events project, which is funded by the West Somerset Strategic Partnership and supported by West Somerset Council.

• Our photographs show (TOP) an Exmoor pony overlooking Bossington Bay, at Porlock, (MIDDLE) a view of Porlock Weir, (BOTTOM) a group of young red deer stags and hinds. Photos submitted.