Not As Daft As It Sounds...

The Government has announced an imminent ban on 'bird gatherings' as it tries to curb the spread of a highly contagious avian influenza.

From midday on Monday, the gatherings will be banned and this involves ducks, geese, swans, pheasants, partridge, quail, chickens, turkeys and guinea fowl, the environment ministry said in a statement.

All those laughing right now, no, the government isn't quite so dumb as to try to prevent birds of a feather from flocking together - this is human activity:

The UK Government classifies 'bird gatherings' as bird fairs, markets, shows, sales, exhibitions and some premises used for dealing or internet sales.

Vehicles used to transport a collection of live birds from multiple premises are also considered gatherings.

Are they worried about this? It seems they are, and for good reason - as Sobers points out in comments, there are drawbacks with vaccination: 

Bird-to-human transmission of avian influenza is rare and has only occurred a handful of times before in the UK.

Symptoms of the infection mirror those of regular flu and Covid. It doesn't spread easily between humans.

But I'm sure, in some area of Whitehall, to quote H G Well, 'slowly and surely, they drew their plans against us'. 

Will we meekly comply with lockdown this time? 

It’s Worrying That This Might Be Their Policy For Another Covid Too…

Poultry farmers are appealing to the government to let them vaccinate their flocks against the "devastating" bird flu virus spreading across the UK. Vaccinating poultry against avian influenza is currently not allowed in the UK. The government says that strong biosecurity measures and culling are the most effective ways of fighting it.

That's a bit of a change of tactics, isn't it? I guess no-one's pushing vaccination for birdies, just humans. 

Meanwhile, there are concerns that poultry vaccinations might be linked to the virus evolving.

No such concerns about covid, then? 

A bird flu prevention zone enforcing strict hygiene standards around domesticated birds has been declared for England, Wales and Scotland amid a rising number of cases of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI). The risk to humans remains low, with chicken and eggs safe to eat if properly cooked, according to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra).

And who wouldn't believe the government? 

Earlier this week, the government agency that deals with infectious diseases, UKHSA, confirmed a case of the H5N1 avian influenza virus in a farm worker in the West Midlands region. It said bird-to-human transmission of avian influenza was rare and that the risk to the wider public continues to be very low.

Sure it is. 

The National Farmers' Union said it was "essential that Defra refocuses efforts" on coming up with a workable avian influenza vaccination plan for the UK.

And if we had a government that valued farmers, instead of one that considers them guilty of crimes against climate, you might stand a chance. 

Another Attack On Farmers?

A farmer's daughter who was almost trampled to death by a herd of cows has warned that many people remain oblivious to the dangers posed by the normally docile animals.

Libby James was airlifted to hospital after being attacked by a group of the animals while walking with her husband Ger and their dog Arti in 2014. Since then Ms James has dedicated her time to raising awareness of attacks by 'killer cows', with shocking figures showing that in the past eight years at least 38 people have died in encounters with the herbivores.

A job that once went to sadly departed blogger Mark Wadsworth, but I suppose someone's got to pick up the baton... 

Speaking to the Mail, Ms James said she was not a novice when it came to being around the animals, but that still didn't prevent them attacking her.

'My father taught me to walk through a field of cows,' she said. 'I strolled confidently through the field and when the herd approached I raised my hands and bellowed "Go back".'

That's the wisdom imparted by dear old dad? 

Ms James has set up campaign group Cows On Walkers Safety (COWS), which runs the website 'Killer Cows' and has received more than 900 reports of cattle incidents since 2017. According to the latest available figures from the Health and Safety Executive, 62 people were killed by cows in the past ten years.

Sadly, our agriculture and livestock farming, not to mention our food production, relies on livestock, so we can't ban them like the XL Bully. Maybe scientists should be DNA-tinkering to produce more docile cows, and not ones that fart less? 

Ms James is calling for footpaths to be fenced off and cattle to be separated from public rights of way if fencing is not possible.

Has she any idea how much that would cost? 

'The footpaths were there before the farmers came on board. So the farms were established over the footpath network,' she said. 'The footpath network is wonderful, it keeps us in touch with nature and keeps people fit, and being able to access the countryside without the need to for an expensive gym or anything like that.

'So we need the footpaths, but we need them to be safe. People have a right to walk on those footpaths. It is indelibly laid down in law. 'But actually, if you put cows in a field and you are no longer safe to walk through that field. You are blocking that footpath, and that is illegal.

'And that is something that people don't realise yet.'

If it's illegal, how come no-one's been arrested for it? I'm sure the police would oblige, since Starmer The Farmer Harmer has decided they are Public Enemy No 1...