Lies and subterfuge in Ambridge - from a policeman? That's just not cricket! Discuss The Archers here.

[PseudoBadger]

Thank you R4 for the title.

So could it happen that quickly?

Could Josh be storing disease-ridden equipment on the farm, or does it all stay with the original owner until the website buyer collects?

Surely diseases would die on metal machines, unless they were covered in mud. I suppose.

Or contained a festering waxed jacket tied up with baler twine.

Next week I assume Pip will lie, then go off in a strop, blaming Josh.

But if the B'field cows were infected by mixing with another herd then that other herd must be infected too.

I'm really enjoying the Huge Canoe Archers. Agricultural storylines, small-scale feuds which mask genuine fondness, family spats...Roth even said,'Oh, no!' twice yesterday.

Ruth, obvs.

Me too Broomstck . I bet when Lil was spelling out her reasons for being unsure of Justin, the last thing she imagined was him on his rickety knees proposing to her in front of everyone in the Bull serve her right

I hope Lillian says but that will create a vacancy, I never even wanted you to leave your wife
loving Huge Canoe

In case you wanted to know more about IBR. Possiby best avoided while eating anything gooey. (Like when you're in the Royal Academy cafe as I am...)
IBR

Those pictures were really quite disgusting.

those poor cows. hits home how fragile food production is

Ebear note to self, do not click on links

Otto was of course the Bridge Farm 'beef cow' aka bull. I assume from that, the others are all girl cows or neutered boys? I'm being vague because there weren't many specimens of cattle in Glasgow when I was growing up so I've never learned the vocabulary. I know Jazzer's done well with that but he's had an incentive.

Just read dfw's info. Very interesting. I was going to look up the infection but glad I didn't as dh and I have just been discussing dinner and I wouldn't want the topics linked. I can live without detail on IBR. I imagine Pip just won't be able to deal with being blamed! I too am enjoying Huge Canoe's editorship.

those poor cows. hits home how fragile food production is

There are any number of infectious diseases and parasites we are under threat from. Sounds a bit dramatic i guess, but on a day to day basis we are monitoring our stock for any signs of disease, sickness, injury. And often diagnosing and treating, in the case of mastitis, or scours, based on experience and instinct, without having to call the vet. Today I have treated a calf for scours, we have operated on a cow for a twisted stomach (that was a vet job but spotting the cow off colour was all down to the herdsman), diagnosed and treated mastitis, as well as making sure everything is fed, bedded, watered, milked... Oh and last night we assisted a cow who had been calving all day to no avail, minimal visible signs but between us we knew she had been 'thinking about it' for too long. Sure enough, a live but big calf was finally born at 9pm last night, 10 hours after she was first spotted.

Sorry, that's a bit of an essay but I guess i am trying to say that yes, it's a tricky business!

Interesting link Ebear. But what I don't understand is why the cows in question haven't been vaccinated? The article makes it sound pretty routine.

One day we're going to discover that dairyfarmerswife is actually a bored accountant in Bradford who just spends their spare time reading milk production websites. But she certainly sounds convincing...

possibly because of mrl's (maximum residue levels) all vet medicines have that. which means after x time after y med is given the animal (or their product) is not allowed to come into the food chain. which is also expensive. @dairyfarmerswife ?

DDD - and maybe on that day you'll out yourself as, oh, I dunno, a highland shepherd with an unrequited love for statistics?

But I suppose you want us to believe you're a real dragon?

Ha ha! I promise, i really am a dairy farmer. Would you like some cute calf pics to prove it??? I do have a spreadsheet for my calving record though... 62% calved so far, 47% of the calves are heifers, 53% bulls

No residues to worry about with vaccines... (That's for antibiotics and wormers)

But they are expensive - did you notice Ruth and David say it was £2k to do the herd. That's just IBR and it needs doing every 6 months (i think). Then there's BVD, Leptospirosis too. The milk price has been so low that lots of people, us included, have cut vaccines out. We all know the theory that it saves money in preventing lost production, better fertility etc but it's very hard to write that cheque at 16 pence per litre for the milk.

The new cattle at Brookfield were bought from IBR free herds I think, so maybe they chose not to vaccinate on the basis that they were not likely to have the disease, and SHOULDN'T come into contact with cattle that might be carriers.

I was going to say "cost-benefit analysis but dairyfarmerswife* has just posted one...

DFW s it realistic for them to know whose fault it is that the herd are infected ? If so I really hope Pip is to blame, and she strops off to another continent.