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Where did you get this ridiculas infor from? The most recient advice, if you watched todays news was to stay away from farms in the coutryside. I think that the likelyness of catching the F=M bug on a windswept hillside are minimal,
Think about it, any1 agree?
Chris
Think about it, any1 agree?
Chris
Unless they ban it, I dont suppose people will take much notice!! Is it just suggested that we dont climb or do they plan to enforce it??
I totally agree with the fact of not gaoing near farms, we don't want to see our rural ecconomy going to pot again. Of course they are not going to enforce it, they can't but you have to be sensible enough to acces the risk and see if it is worth causing a national outbreak
Personally i feel that out on an exposed cliff face or hillside there aint much risk!
Chris
Personally i feel that out on an exposed cliff face or hillside there aint much risk!
Chris
Except it can be airborne transmitted. The risk isn't for you per se, but you could unwittingly act as a carrier between farms. How many sheep do you see in the peak, eh?
I've been following this with interest, now I'm supposed to be an epidemiology boffin, but had completely failed to realise my climbing plans for the weekend could be affected. Bugger.
I've been following this with interest, now I'm supposed to be an epidemiology boffin, but had completely failed to realise my climbing plans for the weekend could be affected. Bugger.
The disease is carried in the spit and droppings of infected animals, so it makes sense not to walk anywhere you risk treading in these. Until the authorities have more idea of how far it's already spread, isn't it best to be cautious? As humans we're apparently unlikely to become infected ourselves, but it can't be fair to inflict the risk on animals and the farmers who own them until more is known.
Latest news/advice on http://www.maff.gov.uk/whatsnew.htm
Latest news/advice on http://www.maff.gov.uk/whatsnew.htm
I live on a farm in a National Park...and theres no way I'm staying at home all weekend!!!!!!....(though I would like to say that I'm not in or anywhere near Essex....or Northumberland!!!)
I just read that this disease can be airborne up to
30km. If this is the case and if there are instances in
the peak, then with the prevailing conditions most
people in sheffield are already at risk of becoming
carriers. So does cancelling my cimbing plans really
make a difference seeing as I am not planning to leave
the area?
30km. If this is the case and if there are instances in
the peak, then with the prevailing conditions most
people in sheffield are already at risk of becoming
carriers. So does cancelling my cimbing plans really
make a difference seeing as I am not planning to leave
the area?
Ask old farmers what happened last time. Current farmers will be nervous about anyone who has been near an infected area. Problem is they currently they dont know where all the infected areas are so that probably means anyone from outside their farm.
It is an airbourne virus. Your friend/cat/dog picks it up and transmits it to you. It gets on a sheep on the hillside near the climb, who gets infected. It later infects fields/farms downwind.
Not sure what the authorities/parks/farmers are going to do though. As for climbers I'd recommend not climbing outdoors or if you must at least be careful about being flippant about access to any farmers.
It is an airbourne virus. Your friend/cat/dog picks it up and transmits it to you. It gets on a sheep on the hillside near the climb, who gets infected. It later infects fields/farms downwind.
Not sure what the authorities/parks/farmers are going to do though. As for climbers I'd recommend not climbing outdoors or if you must at least be careful about being flippant about access to any farmers.
Don't forget, you may not take it in to a remote valley head, but one off the 100s of others may. Then you'll all take it back out with you at the end of the day! Think of Seathwaite or Langdale on abusy weekend - and what lies on the roads & footpaths round the farms?
There's a statement on the Peak District National Park
website at :-
http://www.peakdistrict-npa.gov.uk/
And at the BMC site.
website at :-
http://www.peakdistrict-npa.gov.uk/
And at the BMC site.
Just imagine all of the feet and cars in one of the remote roadheads - Langdale, Seathwaite etc
Even if you don't take it in to the area, someone else from another part of the country might! And you all tread and drive through the same dung round the farms and access roads!
At least disinfect your boots!
Even if you don't take it in to the area, someone else from another part of the country might! And you all tread and drive through the same dung round the farms and access roads!
At least disinfect your boots!
Point taken, forgot about transporting it ourselves from A to B
But still i feel you should access your own personal risk, e.g. how close you live to any farm. and if you really want to go out then plan your route accordingly. here is always an element of risk.
the mountains and crags will always be there another day, is the risk worth it people?
Chris
But still i feel you should access your own personal risk, e.g. how close you live to any farm. and if you really want to go out then plan your route accordingly. here is always an element of risk.
the mountains and crags will always be there another day, is the risk worth it people?
Chris
So which crags are well away from farmland then?
"Safe-ish" areas I can think of off the top of my head are;
Millstone and Lawrencefield, The Lancs quarries, Tremadog.
Any others?
"Safe-ish" areas I can think of off the top of my head are;
Millstone and Lawrencefield, The Lancs quarries, Tremadog.
Any others?
Well, I'd just like to congratulate Chris Taylor. I don't know where he's managed to pick up the knowledge to state so definitively that the MAFF scientists are wrong when they say climbing at Stanage will increase the risk of spreading F&M, especially since he's evidently been climbing every weekend (that's a basic human right, obviously) but it's a relief to have so authoritative an opinion.
Grow the fuck up, pal. I was only five in 1967, but not too young to remember the father of a kid at my primary school committing suicide.
It ain't funny. If 'they' want you not to climb in the Peak for a while, I'm sure you can wait that long.
Grow the fuck up, pal. I was only five in 1967, but not too young to remember the father of a kid at my primary school committing suicide.
It ain't funny. If 'they' want you not to climb in the Peak for a while, I'm sure you can wait that long.
What do you think those fields opposite Tremadog, and surrounding Millstone and Lawrencefield, are?
So which crags are well away from farmland then?
"Safe-ish" areas I can think of off the top of my head are;
Millstone and Lawrencefield, The Lancs quarries, Tremadog.
Any others?
"Safe-ish" areas I can think of off the top of my head are;
Millstone and Lawrencefield, The Lancs quarries, Tremadog.
Any others?
So which crags are well away from farmland then?
"Safe-ish" areas I can think of off the top of my head are;
Millstone and Lawrencefield, The Lancs quarries, Tremadog.
Any others?
"Safe-ish" areas I can think of off the top of my head are;
Millstone and Lawrencefield, The Lancs quarries, Tremadog.
Any others?
i am not saying to go against any advice on specific areas, calm down, i have full respect for voluntary bans, i just don't feel the whole country is underthreat from peopl walking in the HILLS. Not advising people to go to the peak district
Go to Caley. I can't remember ever having seen sheep there. Mind you, it's green as buggery at the moment.
Yeah - there are no farms near Tremadoc, no sheep near Millstone and Lawrencefield ?????
Well, it's a good job I don't climb with you, Mark Tolver. Your eyesight must be soooooooo bad, to make such ridiculous statements, that I'd probably deck out if I fell off with you belaying me!
Well, it's a good job I don't climb with you, Mark Tolver. Your eyesight must be soooooooo bad, to make such ridiculous statements, that I'd probably deck out if I fell off with you belaying me!
Just been on the BMC and maff sites (www.maff.gov.uk) and there is not much there to help climbers with judging the scale of the problem for the coming weekend. The advice to farmers includes putting up 'keep out' notices and, like someone said earlier, memories of F&M are very bad amongst farmers so ignoring these signs could lead to trouble.
Has anyone out there got any news yet on anywhere where there is already a problem with access???
Has anyone out there got any news yet on anywhere where there is already a problem with access???
Some reports have said that this thing can be airborne up to 150 miles away, in which case there wouldn't be a lot anyone can do to prevent it spreading like wild fire. So, do only infected animals cause it to be airborne, or can humans spread it through the air too.
If a human can only spread it through physical contact with an infected substance or material, then keeping a reasonable sense of perspective about it, it's surely possible to climb at crags where you don't have livestock wandering around. A few more facts rather than paranoid knee-jerk reactions wouldn't go amiss at the moment.
If a human can only spread it through physical contact with an infected substance or material, then keeping a reasonable sense of perspective about it, it's surely possible to climb at crags where you don't have livestock wandering around. A few more facts rather than paranoid knee-jerk reactions wouldn't go amiss at the moment.
Why not attempt a traverse of all your local pubs, and then repeat as necessary. Lets face it, a w/e away from the crag will not do you any harm!
Most farmers tread a thin line between success and failure as it is, lets not add to it!
d
Most farmers tread a thin line between success and failure as it is, lets not add to it!
d
If there is any doubt in the situation it isn't worth the risk, farmers have had enough shite reciently lets help them not put them into ruin.
Chaos theory - Sheep are all taken off the hill for a couple of years
Bracken and brambles grows
Countryside goes into rack and ruin
we don't want that now do we
Anyone want to back me up?
Chaos theory - Sheep are all taken off the hill for a couple of years
Bracken and brambles grows
Countryside goes into rack and ruin
we don't want that now do we
Anyone want to back me up?
According to the 6 Oclock news on R4, the National trust is closing off all their land used by livestock.
And no, it isn't airborne over distances like 150 miles, or even 30 miles.
And no, it isn't airborne over distances like 150 miles, or even 30 miles.
Si and John.
Don't seem to remember tripping over that many sheep at any of those crags - not compared to a lot of other crags anyway. Granted, there are farms nearby - but if F&M is spread through the air so easily, there's fuck all you can do about it anyway. If the problem is generated by people treading in droppings and spreading it to other areas then it's a matter of climbing where there are no or very few sheep.
Be realistic, you're not going to stop the country's entire climbing population going out this weekend, but at least re-directing them to crags where there's a lower risk might have an effect. I can't actually think of any crags, where you don't get the odd sheep - that's why I said "safe-ish" areas in the original post.
You could at least come up with some areas where the risk is minimised rather than expecting everyone'll stay indoors this weekend.
Don't seem to remember tripping over that many sheep at any of those crags - not compared to a lot of other crags anyway. Granted, there are farms nearby - but if F&M is spread through the air so easily, there's fuck all you can do about it anyway. If the problem is generated by people treading in droppings and spreading it to other areas then it's a matter of climbing where there are no or very few sheep.
Be realistic, you're not going to stop the country's entire climbing population going out this weekend, but at least re-directing them to crags where there's a lower risk might have an effect. I can't actually think of any crags, where you don't get the odd sheep - that's why I said "safe-ish" areas in the original post.
You could at least come up with some areas where the risk is minimised rather than expecting everyone'll stay indoors this weekend.
The ITN site says that, according to the MAFF, "People living in towns in infected areas who have no contact with farm animals need take no special precautions but they should travel on main roads where possible and respect any warning signs regarding disease."
The cases confirmed so far are in Essex and Northumberland, all of which seem to have a connection with one abbatoir. If the threat of airborne infection isn't that great, then the risk of people spreading it to the Peak or other areas is probably pretty minimal.
The cases confirmed so far are in Essex and Northumberland, all of which seem to have a connection with one abbatoir. If the threat of airborne infection isn't that great, then the risk of people spreading it to the Peak or other areas is probably pretty minimal.
No sheep at Millstone ?
I had a rather amusing incident last year when we went to climb
Billingsgate at Millstone, only to find the ledge about 2m off the ground had 2 sheep stuck on it. We went away to do another route, not wanting to scare them, and cause them to fall off the ledge. When we returned (several routes later, at dusk), they were still there.
Have you not noticed that the whole of the moors around Sheffield are covered with sheep. I was at Burbage North the other morning and saw plenty there. As there are no enclosures between BN and Millstone, it follows that sheep could, within reason, get to that crag too. And sheep can cross roads too, as I found out when I ran one over at Surprise view, so they could get near Lawrencefield. Think about it.
Ever camped in the field behind the caff at Tremadog ? If so, you'll know that it's farmland all right!
As said in my post below, the NT are closing access to all of their property used by livestock. I don't know whether this applies to fields or to moorlands used for sheep grazing too. If so, there's plenty of bits of the Lakes, Wales and the Peaks (Froggatt, etc) you can't go to. Even if you were going high up on the fells, you sometimes have to pass through farmland in the valleys to get there.
I can't recall a crag in the Peaks which didn't have a sheep near it, apart from Bell Hagg, but with cold northerly winds this weekend, you'll have to wrap up warm!
My Stanage guide states explicitly in the Stannington Ruffs introduction (cant remember what page), that the crag remains available during outbreaks of Foot & Mouth. So there's one for you. And I'll bet you've never been there - why not go this weekend. Rather you than me though.....
On a more constructive front, I don't think I can remember any being near Stoney - probably too polished for them.....
I had a rather amusing incident last year when we went to climb
Billingsgate at Millstone, only to find the ledge about 2m off the ground had 2 sheep stuck on it. We went away to do another route, not wanting to scare them, and cause them to fall off the ledge. When we returned (several routes later, at dusk), they were still there.
Have you not noticed that the whole of the moors around Sheffield are covered with sheep. I was at Burbage North the other morning and saw plenty there. As there are no enclosures between BN and Millstone, it follows that sheep could, within reason, get to that crag too. And sheep can cross roads too, as I found out when I ran one over at Surprise view, so they could get near Lawrencefield. Think about it.
Ever camped in the field behind the caff at Tremadog ? If so, you'll know that it's farmland all right!
As said in my post below, the NT are closing access to all of their property used by livestock. I don't know whether this applies to fields or to moorlands used for sheep grazing too. If so, there's plenty of bits of the Lakes, Wales and the Peaks (Froggatt, etc) you can't go to. Even if you were going high up on the fells, you sometimes have to pass through farmland in the valleys to get there.
I can't recall a crag in the Peaks which didn't have a sheep near it, apart from Bell Hagg, but with cold northerly winds this weekend, you'll have to wrap up warm!
My Stanage guide states explicitly in the Stannington Ruffs introduction (cant remember what page), that the crag remains available during outbreaks of Foot & Mouth. So there's one for you. And I'll bet you've never been there - why not go this weekend. Rather you than me though.....
On a more constructive front, I don't think I can remember any being near Stoney - probably too polished for them.....
I quite agree, I think you'll find something to do, there are places to go that don't have livestock, but I'm not saying where, just think about it before you step out of your car.
It is not just a question of the scientific facts about the likelihood of infection being spread by climbers visiting crags away from livestock. There is also the public image
created by individuals who show a lack of respect for measures to control what is a highly contageous disease and which has major economic impact on the farming community. If you want to see access to crags mantained and goodwill return after this outbreak clears upthen please do respect the requests to stay away for this weekend at least. We should have a much clearer idea of the extent of the outbreak by the end of next week.
created by individuals who show a lack of respect for measures to control what is a highly contageous disease and which has major economic impact on the farming community. If you want to see access to crags mantained and goodwill return after this outbreak clears upthen please do respect the requests to stay away for this weekend at least. We should have a much clearer idea of the extent of the outbreak by the end of next week.
Let's all be selfish assholes and go climbing this weekend,after all we only get 104 days a year to do it maybe the farmers who give us access to their craggs won't take offence in fact they may lose their farm then the BMC will buy it(I will severely miss my weekend climbing but let us be realistic and sympathetic to others) BrianB
100% with Brian. If you want farmers to slam the access door in your face on your future trips then go climbing this weekend. Its their livlihood vs your fun. If you believe your fun is more important you are seriously defficient in the compassion department.
glad to see there is agreement that people don't go out on the hills this weekend and maybe aggravate the situation. In 67 the RAC rally NOVEMBER was cancelled but even with only 20% of the traffic now the disease spread and some areas were closed for three months with the last restriction coming off after easter, FIVE MONTHS . If you have to go out try your local quarry, don't drive far.
A few suggestions - Hobson Moor,Baildon Bank,Shipley Glen,Pex hill in short, semi industrial areas that you are 100% sure have no livestock near.
Lets get some goodwill as responsible people,remember, the access to open spaces draft maps are not drawn yet.
A few suggestions - Hobson Moor,Baildon Bank,Shipley Glen,Pex hill in short, semi industrial areas that you are 100% sure have no livestock near.
Lets get some goodwill as responsible people,remember, the access to open spaces draft maps are not drawn yet.
Andy, forgot avon gorge but get the general drift, stay away from livestock areas.
doesn't seem to have stoped people in the lakes. We where out on rescue today and there were loads of people on Scafell. Is this meant to have affected Cumbria as well?
I don't know about others but I have found some comments on this thread really quite worrying! Some people really don't seem to appreciate the seriousness of this disease.
In 1967/8 the countryside (all of it) was closed for 7 months. That included public rights of way. If not climbing/walking for a couple of weekends stops a repeat then it is worth it.
Looking on the BMC site here is part of the advice given there:
<QUOTE>
The Countryside Agency is currently advising people ‘to keep away from all areas containing livestock’ - including enclosed farmland and upland grazing land. It is also possible that all public rights of way will be closed shortly.
The National Trust is discouraging visits to the countryside under the current circumstances although it is not establishing an explicit exclusion zone over its open countryside holdings. National Trust tenant farmers may also be taking their own steps to restrict access to land and such measures will be fully supported by the National Trust.
</QUOTE>
AFAIK upland grazing means just about all the National Parks for a start.
Even the Ramblers Association have advised people not to go out to the countryside.
Let's all be sensible and not potentially add to the problems.
Carol
In 1967/8 the countryside (all of it) was closed for 7 months. That included public rights of way. If not climbing/walking for a couple of weekends stops a repeat then it is worth it.
Looking on the BMC site here is part of the advice given there:
<QUOTE>
The Countryside Agency is currently advising people ‘to keep away from all areas containing livestock’ - including enclosed farmland and upland grazing land. It is also possible that all public rights of way will be closed shortly.
The National Trust is discouraging visits to the countryside under the current circumstances although it is not establishing an explicit exclusion zone over its open countryside holdings. National Trust tenant farmers may also be taking their own steps to restrict access to land and such measures will be fully supported by the National Trust.
</QUOTE>
AFAIK upland grazing means just about all the National Parks for a start.
Even the Ramblers Association have advised people not to go out to the countryside.
Let's all be sensible and not potentially add to the problems.
Carol
Yes Guy - just seen it on the news. No "rambling" in Cumbria - I assume this includes climbing !
Where does your info. come from? It was reported on Radio 4 news that the virus is capable of being carried in the air in your car. So, drive through an infected area with your windows wound down and... Maybe that's why MAFF is being a little paranoid. As stated elsewhere it's better not to take the risk.
having seen several sheep rescued from ledges on millstone, and had rocks kicked on me by them, i can confidentally say you're wrong.
what about scotland? we're supposed to be hading up next tuesday. i'm pretty sure there's no sheep on the ben at this time of year, but what do people reckon? is it really a case of stay at home?
At last! I have found an advantage to living in Birmingham, as far as I know there are no restrictions on using the Rockface due to Foot and Mouth disease.
A boffin is a sad bloke who claims the moral high-ground and goes into work instead of going to the peak on a saturday while his mates ring him up to tell him they've just led B4XS in perfect grit conditions. The buggers.
Jon.
Jon.
i agree, what do you call all the sheep on places like dartmoor, people whoa are saying that they are going to go out anyway because its not a national problem yet are likely to make it a national problem. Come on what is a few days off the hills compared to the spread of a disease nationwide? Maybe some poeple should just grow up and accpet that you can't always go climbing when you want to...as for it being a human right is it not a human right to ask people to not do something for a while for the good of a whole population?
Yes Scotland has potential problems too! Don't forget that
FMDV can infect deer and sheep. If the infection spreads widely then the authorities might close off large areas and start culling wild animals which can act as vectors. The best advice is to heed the warnings and stay away from the Hills until the pattern of infection is established. With luck the outbreak will be contained quickly and normal access will be resumed. However if the outbreak is not contained and at the same time walkers, climbers and cavers are seen to ignore the warnings it will have long term repercussions of access to the coutryside. Be clear on that.
FMDV can infect deer and sheep. If the infection spreads widely then the authorities might close off large areas and start culling wild animals which can act as vectors. The best advice is to heed the warnings and stay away from the Hills until the pattern of infection is established. With luck the outbreak will be contained quickly and normal access will be resumed. However if the outbreak is not contained and at the same time walkers, climbers and cavers are seen to ignore the warnings it will have long term repercussions of access to the coutryside. Be clear on that.
Having read through the entries on this topic, it would appar that most of you are fairly young.
Yes thy can enforc closure of the Parks, at the moment the action taken is volontery. If the MAFF make it oficial, roads will be closed and park boundries will be patrolled.
In 1967 when we last had a case of foot and mouth in this country, over half of all comercial life stock had to be Shot in the head and then burned.
The epidemic lasted for eight months, with a fall off of dairy produce that affected the whole country.
Zoos and privatly owned livestock were also affected.
If the government pass an emergency health Act. They can close all public rights of way as well.
Because humans can catch foot and mouth, it may not kill us but it will give you a bad dose of the flu. Then you travel home infecting farms as you drive past.
A couple of weeks at home to make sure that the virus is not spread will not kill US either.
Come on everybody lets prove to the land owners and national parks, who allow us access to all this wonderfull rock. That we climbers are not all just a bunch of over muscelled meat heads, who care more about a bit of physical activity than we do about the countyside that we do it in.
Yes thy can enforc closure of the Parks, at the moment the action taken is volontery. If the MAFF make it oficial, roads will be closed and park boundries will be patrolled.
In 1967 when we last had a case of foot and mouth in this country, over half of all comercial life stock had to be Shot in the head and then burned.
The epidemic lasted for eight months, with a fall off of dairy produce that affected the whole country.
Zoos and privatly owned livestock were also affected.
If the government pass an emergency health Act. They can close all public rights of way as well.
Because humans can catch foot and mouth, it may not kill us but it will give you a bad dose of the flu. Then you travel home infecting farms as you drive past.
A couple of weeks at home to make sure that the virus is not spread will not kill US either.
Come on everybody lets prove to the land owners and national parks, who allow us access to all this wonderfull rock. That we climbers are not all just a bunch of over muscelled meat heads, who care more about a bit of physical activity than we do about the countyside that we do it in.
Dan Evans drivelled:
>this is why i live in france ha ha ha ha ha
Actually sunshine, the last serious outbreak was in the Isle of White in the 80's, and came from ....... wait for it.... France.
G
>this is why i live in france ha ha ha ha ha
Actually sunshine, the last serious outbreak was in the Isle of White in the 80's, and came from ....... wait for it.... France.
G
I really don't think they publicised this early enough. Firstly, I did make an effort to check obvious info points (the BBC) before our weekend trip on friday, and the situation didn't seem too bad so we went anyway having paid for our hut in advance. On starting climbing saturday morning ironically some of us answered a questionnaire for some environmental science students about climbers' perception of their impact on the environment (it's true!).
Secondly I apologise for whatever other horrid warped biological organisms I have unleashed unto the world by dislodging them from the dank dirty green orifices of Matinee.
Secondly I apologise for whatever other horrid warped biological organisms I have unleashed unto the world by dislodging them from the dank dirty green orifices of Matinee.
Well spoken, Matt! Nothing to add, because you've said it all.
There are one or two meat heads on this forum.
There are one or two meat heads on this forum.
Brimham has notices up advising that you stay to the paths around the rocks & that you do not go onto the Moorland.
Report in the paper today that it's probably spread to france already. 'course, the authorities there'll probably hush it up like they did BSE, so you may not find out about it unless it becomes a massive epidemic.
rob
rob
That's very constuctive of you Gordon.
Part of the problem with the whole situation has been the lack of accurate information to enable people to assess the risk for themselves and suddenly announcing that people should stay away from national parks late on a Friday afternoon is astonishingly incompetent.
If people can catch and carry the infection just from driving through an infected area, then the real priority should be to stop movement of traffic from those infected areas to non-infected areas. If this is the case, then maybe the outbreak reported on Anglesey this morning had more to do with hordes of truck drivers heading for the ferry than a handful of climbers heading for Gogarth.
However, from the reports I've seen so far, more emphasis seems to have been placed on containing persons who are likely to have had physical contact with livestock.
My point is that you can't expect the whole population to stop moving around the country without providing them with the info to assess the potential risk on an individual basis and as far as I can see, this information hasn't been presented at all well.
If anyone actually knows the scientific facts, could they post them here please?
Part of the problem with the whole situation has been the lack of accurate information to enable people to assess the risk for themselves and suddenly announcing that people should stay away from national parks late on a Friday afternoon is astonishingly incompetent.
If people can catch and carry the infection just from driving through an infected area, then the real priority should be to stop movement of traffic from those infected areas to non-infected areas. If this is the case, then maybe the outbreak reported on Anglesey this morning had more to do with hordes of truck drivers heading for the ferry than a handful of climbers heading for Gogarth.
However, from the reports I've seen so far, more emphasis seems to have been placed on containing persons who are likely to have had physical contact with livestock.
My point is that you can't expect the whole population to stop moving around the country without providing them with the info to assess the potential risk on an individual basis and as far as I can see, this information hasn't been presented at all well.
If anyone actually knows the scientific facts, could they post them here please?
Try:
http://www.maff.gov.uk/animalh/diseases/fmd/default.htm - this is the MAFF's Foot and Mouth Disease home page, and actually has a lot of information on the disease on it, in simple language.
http://www.oie.int/eng/maladies/fiches/A_A010.HTM - the World Organisation for Animal Health's page on Foot and Mouth Disease. Some of it is going to be pretty incomprehensible if you don't know medical/veterinary language, but for the scientific facts, that's the place to look. I found it from the link on the MAFF's page.
http://www.maff.gov.uk/animalh/diseases/fmd/default.htm - this is the MAFF's Foot and Mouth Disease home page, and actually has a lot of information on the disease on it, in simple language.
http://www.oie.int/eng/maladies/fiches/A_A010.HTM - the World Organisation for Animal Health's page on Foot and Mouth Disease. Some of it is going to be pretty incomprehensible if you don't know medical/veterinary language, but for the scientific facts, that's the place to look. I found it from the link on the MAFF's page.
Take a look at today's Welsh edition of the Daily Post: Climbers are getting a really bad press for parking at Pen y Pass over the weekend! Nice big colour picture of cars and sheep mixing it (should create interesting offspring)Headline: "They just don't care." Farmers left furious as visitors ignore pleas to stay away. This is the picture which proves the utter selfishness and ignorance of some people...wekend walkers showed that they cared little for the livelihood of North Wales farmers - as long as they enjoyed a day out". The Post is usually pro walker+climber. It would be a pity if we all got bad press just because we can't stay away from the hills for what we hope may be a short time.(or 7 months like last time).
From:
http://www.maff.gov.uk/animalh/diseases/fmd/qa1.htm
"Q How is it spread?
Foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) is a highly infectious disease that can spread by direct or indirect contact with infected animals. Infected animals begin by excreting the virus a few days before signs of the disease develop. Pigs in particular produce large numbers of virus particles.
Airborne spread of the disease takes place readily. The prevailing meteorological conditions and local topography determine the distance that the disease can travel and this may be considerable. For example, circumstantial evidence strongly suggests that the outbreak on the Isle of Wight in 1981 resulted from the airborne spread of the of the virus from Brittany in northern France.
The disease is also spread mechanically by the movement of animals, persons, vehicles and other things, which have been contaminated by the virus.
Meat from the carcase of animals infected with FMD at the time of slaughter can transmit the virus. In the past outbreaks of the disease have been linked with the importation of infected meat and meat products."
The weather is looking gorgeous, I would really really like to get out this weekend, either cycling or mountain biking, but I've decided that it would probably be just a bit irresponsible of me to put my hobbies and pleasure on a more important footing than people's livelyhoods, especially considering all the other misfortunes that farmers have already had to endure recently! But I do agree that giving people good and accurate information is the way to convince people to stay at home, rather than just ordering them to stay at home.
http://www.maff.gov.uk/animalh/diseases/fmd/qa1.htm
"Q How is it spread?
Foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) is a highly infectious disease that can spread by direct or indirect contact with infected animals. Infected animals begin by excreting the virus a few days before signs of the disease develop. Pigs in particular produce large numbers of virus particles.
Airborne spread of the disease takes place readily. The prevailing meteorological conditions and local topography determine the distance that the disease can travel and this may be considerable. For example, circumstantial evidence strongly suggests that the outbreak on the Isle of Wight in 1981 resulted from the airborne spread of the of the virus from Brittany in northern France.
The disease is also spread mechanically by the movement of animals, persons, vehicles and other things, which have been contaminated by the virus.
Meat from the carcase of animals infected with FMD at the time of slaughter can transmit the virus. In the past outbreaks of the disease have been linked with the importation of infected meat and meat products."
The weather is looking gorgeous, I would really really like to get out this weekend, either cycling or mountain biking, but I've decided that it would probably be just a bit irresponsible of me to put my hobbies and pleasure on a more important footing than people's livelyhoods, especially considering all the other misfortunes that farmers have already had to endure recently! But I do agree that giving people good and accurate information is the way to convince people to stay at home, rather than just ordering them to stay at home.
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