DEFRA

[Roland]

Thanks Mick, in a nut shell what I have been spouting for the last 8 months.

So no politician is going to stick hois neck out, and that can be taken to the bank.

Ps. That or similar, has been put up many time to no avail.

[Pompey Mick]

When I talk of financial clout Rose, I am talking about the value of Pigeon Racing to the National economy.

Compared to the poultry industry we have got to realise that pigeon racing is insignificant.

DEFRA is more concerned about getting the poultry industry back up and running than it is about us, we are viewed as a possible threat to this industry, therefore we will always be in the firing line when a perceived threat from Avian Flu occurs.

I am hoping that Dr Ortrud Werners publication will help show that the role of Racing Pigeons in Avian Flu spread is miniscule, and can be discounted in a Risk Assessment, but, personally,  I do believe that the 7 day Isolation rule is unfortunately here to stay.

[Guest]

Mick, that's a really good contact, head of the World Organisation for Animal Health, [OIE] and one to keep hold of.

 

Said before, I reckon more work needed to determine true level of risk. Also, not a very accurate risk assessment if only the negative reports are considered, positives must also be included, surely, to give big picture.

 

The results of Werner's research mirror Swayne's earlier research:---

 

Three studies since the late 1990s by the Agriculture Department's Southeast Poultry Research Laboratory in Athens, Ga., have produced "more questions than we have answers," said the center's director, David Swayne. The lab has been working on bird flu since the 1970s.

 

In one experiment [2002] researchers squirted into pigeons' mouths liquid drops that contained the highly pathogenic H5N1 virus from a Hong Kong sample. The birds got about 100 to 1,000 times the concentration that wild birds would encounter in nature. "We couldn't infect the pigeons," Swayne said. "So that's good news."

 

In 2004, the lab did two more experiments. Using a pigeon and a crow that had both died in Thailand, researchers gave 12 pigeons similarly high doses of the bird flu virus. Seven became infected and one died. Five others did not become infected.

 

"What that tells us is that pigeons can be susceptible. But they're not uniformly susceptible," Swayne said. "Not like chickens or ducks - they all become infected.

 

Infected pigeons carried the virus about 10 days. But they were infectious for only about two days and then at levels below what it would normally take to infect a chicken

 

The experimental data is not very strong that pigeons are going to be spreading this virus around," Swayne said. "At this point they have not been implicated in spreading it to humans and to farms."  

 

 

 

 

[johno]

so waht happens next. no conclusive study one way or other. we let the pigeon fancy continue to race hoping nothing happens. not realistic. why not face reality. pigeons are not on the big screen. not a force in the calculations. causing problems could easy be seen as wasting valuable time and resources.

[Guest]

just wish that aeverybody has that fighting spirit then at least we would get somewhere am all for putting my tuppence worth in and giving it a shot always beleived the likes of people who are making money from us should be doing there damdest to keep as many people in the sport as they can as themore who go out then the less income  ;D ;D

[Guest]

Excellent letter ... spells out exactly what is wanted, a fair deal for pigeons, no more no less.

 

Don't forget the well known charities that benefit from our regular events and donations from ordinary fanciers - big names there that have the means of getting Press attention.

 

 

[Guest]

Amazing co-incidence today, relevant to this thread.  

 

Picked up a story from David Milliband's site [ex-DEFRA minister] about a bull, sacred to Hindu religion, and domiciled in Wales, subjected to a slaughter order by Welsh Assembly Government under similar-to-DEFRA disease-prevention measures, because it has tested positive for bovine-TB.

 

Today High court judge has ruled against the authority. Full grounds not published but judgement agrees with owners that this animal doesn't have access to others so there is little likelihood of passing on the diease. Some talk of risk levels in judgement too, so could also have some relevance to pigeons and avian flu.

 

 

 

 

[Roland]

Here is a champion in the waiting... yet outside of me NO one but No one even bothered to say Hi let alone send him thoughts of how he may be of help.

Many more, but let them go now.... may still have their Email Addies but....

 

From :  HEATON-HARRIS Christopher <christopher.heaton-harris@europarl.europa.eu>

Sent :  23 October 2006 13:12:52

To :  "Ross Coley" <rosscoley@hotmail.com>

Subject :  RE: [sPAM SUSPECTED] RE: FW: REPONSE A LA QUESTION/ANSWER TO QUESTION NO/P-4132/06

  

Ross,

 

No problem - I guess you must have just struck lucky writing to me about this - my Grandad was a pretty top notch pigeon fancier and won a few big races in his time - his name was Walter Ronald Cox and he even got me keeping pigeons when I was a teen!!!

 

Let me know if I can help in any other way.

 

Yours,

 

Chris.

 

 

[Roland]

No one even remember or mention his Pop's name.... that is a shame too I guess.