FRENCH RACINg - ON !

[Guest]

Nice one Peter, I knew you'd do it

[PIGEON_MAN]

So what's the problem? just clocked from Perth.....Last time I sent north 1978

 

GOOD BIRDS SHOULD COME FROM ANYWHERE,WELL DONE PETER,1978 MUST OF BEEN AROUND THAT TIME WHEN WE RACED NORTH LAST,WON THE SECTION IN THE NRCC 3 YEARS ON THE TROT,ALSO CLOCKED FROM LERWICK ON THE DAY AROUND 565 TO ME.

[Guest]

I thought that a map showing the British Isles always included Ireland?

 

Only islands DEFRA barred for racing from mainland Britain just now are Channel Islands ... too close to France [as far as I know they haven't moved any closer in last million years   ;D ].

 

First time I've seen it published (BHW 2nd June) that its the grounding of race birds in France and them then carrying AI on their feet back to UK that's got DEFRA's knickers in a twist.

 

This is a short extract taken from the EU October 2005 risk assessment on racing pigeons:

 

These experimental data [that pigeons are fairly resistant to HPAI] are consistent with field studies during the 1983-84 HPAI H5N2 Pennsylvania epizootic in which Nettles et al., (1985) reported failure to isolate any AI virus from 473 pigeons, 7 doves and 81 samples of material contaminating the feet of pigeons that were sampled in the infection quarantine area (Nettles et al., 1985).

 

The conclusion from these data could be that pigeons are very unlikely to become infected with AI viruses and therefore pose very little threat of introducing AI viruses into an area. However, some caution should be exercised in dismissing racing pigeons as potential agents for introduction and spread of AI viruses. Host range may be very much related to specific virus strains and could evolve during an epizootic. Equally racing pigeons could act as mechanical vectors if contaminated with infective faecal material while invading farms with affected poultry. The nature of racing pigeons over large distances and from country to country plus the procedure of gathering them together for release represent introduction risks that are unique to these birds.

 

 

I've highlighted the relevant bits.

 

(1) The risk is said to come from pigeons invading infected poultry farms, and bringing AI back on their feet.

 

(2) There has already been a scientific research case on pigeons in infected farms and a lot of feet were examined [473 pigeons] and no AI found on any of them.

 

(3) Now not only have we evidence that DEFRA's feras are unfounded ... published scientific data .... there's no bloody infected farms the pigeons could invade either!!!!!

 

Maybe those negotiating on our behalf should stop talking sh** like folks losing money and start talking common sense - backed up by basic scientific facts.

[Pompey Mick]

Bruno is absolutely right in his assessment of the risks involved. We have been repeatedley told that the countryside is open even when there are restriction movements on birds so that people can tramp all over this land with no bio-security but birds are not allowed to fly over it in case they might land. I see that birdwatchers can book birdwatching holidays all over the World with no restriction including Far Eastern Countries where this disease is rife and people can camp anywhere they like in the World with no restriction but pigeons carry a risk when they fly over areas with no Avian Flu history, it's an absurd risk assessment which allows unrestricted human access but forbids us flying our birds.