Q fever
Q fever began to spread in the Netherlands in 2007 in the south of the country. Hundreds of thousands of goats and millions of people live in close proximity in the provinces of Noord-Brabant and Limburg.
The bacteria will survive outside of its host and can be carried considerable distances by the wind.
The Dutch Farmers Association LTO has said it rejects the killing of healthy goats to fight the spread of Q fever, following a cabinet proposal to eradicate the disease by a mass slaughter of goats.
Agriculture Minister Gerda Verburg and Health Minister Ab Klink on Thursday announced an extension of the extermination scheme. Initially just pregnant goats carrying the Q fever bacteria would be culled, because the bacteria is mainly spread through miscarriages. Minister Verburg changed her mind after the methods used to determine whether animals are infected proved to be unreliable.
It is not clear whether LTO will take action against the government decision.
Mass cull starts Monday
The disease has been confirmed at 55 farms, mainly in the densely populated southern province of Noord-Brabant. An estimated 35,000 goats will be culled, starting Monday.
Clear warning signs will be placed near infected farms, and maps detailing infection locations have been published.
LTO chairman Albert Jan Maat acknowledged that Minister Verburg had wanted to spare the lives of healthy animals, but he questions the validity and timing of the arguments she gave to now include all goats.
Horrible
LTO also says it is callous to let the goat farmers foot the bill. MPs in The Hague support the ministers' decision, but emphasise they find it horrible. The matter will be debated on Thursday.
Goat farming spread in the Netherlands when other cattle, such as pigs, cows, as well as chickens, were widely affected by diseases. Goats appeared a safer option, and the number of animals rose to 374,000. The average goat farm has about a thousand animals. They are kept for their milk and meat, most of which is exported.
Goats (ANP Photo)
Goats (ANP Photo)
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Thank you for the good writeup. It in fact was a amusement account it. Look advanced to far added agreeable from you! However, how can we communicate?
Before slaughtering them all, they should run some tests to see which one is healthy and which one is not, because there isn't a point in killing them all, some might not be contaminated. I have to ask, though, isn't there any cure for the poor goats? It's sad that they have to die like this, after all, they are beings and we shouldn't treat them as mere objects designed for our good.
Elisabeth Brittani - Alcohol Addiction Center intern
"The Dutch Farmers Association LTO has said it rejects the killing of healthy goats to fight the spread of Q fever...." { Goat farmers should be separating their pregnant goats to birthing areas in order to control a safe birth and clean environment . Once the birth has taken place procedures should have been in place to clean the birthing stations and destroy the afterbirth. Sanitation is an intragal part of farming. The Dutch government needs to pay close attention to the farmers and their operating procedures. Everything must be clean.
How can they do so just to eradicate a disease slaughter healthy and innocent goats. How in human for them to do so. Its good that the farmers have got some relief after this verdict.
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