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From: Peter Greenhill

Subject: FMD 2001 SLAUGHTER FIGURES

I have been in discussions with various writers on FMD issues and maintain that the true number of stock slaughtered in the 2001 disaster was far higher than any of them like to admit. Government try on all occasions to dumb down the numbers.

The breakdown is attached to this e.mail and so far, the details have not been challenged. Defra could not tell the truth in 2001 and we owe it to the stock which died unnecessarily to keep punching home the truth until it begins to stick. At some time there WILL be a proper enquiry and the sheer magnitude of the butchery should be a major feature in that enquiry.

It might also be useful to remind ourselves of the blood test figures obtained from Pirbright by the late (great) Prof Fred Brown.

No. of blood tests: 720,000

No. of positive cases: 337

SLAUGHTER FIGURES 2001

Checked & verified by the Meat & Livestock Commission

 

SHEEP

3.4 million recorded as culled by Defra

1.6 million culled under the "welfare scheme"

0,5 million culled under the "light lambs" scheme

4.0 million lambs (estimated) – this derives from 1.2 lambs per breeding ewe culled and cross-checks with the shortfall in lambs marketed in 2001 – down from15 million to 11.1 million

Total Sheep lost = 9.5 million

CATTLE

590,000 recorded as culled by Defra

169,000 culled under the "welfare scheme"

100,000 calves estimated (this can only be a `best guess` figure)

Total Cattle lost = 859,000

 

PIGS

145,000 recorded as culled by Defra

287,000 culled under the "welfare scheme"

No piglets allowed for as most pigs slaughtered were thought to be fattening rather than breeding stock

Total Pigs lost = 432,000

 

TOTAL SO FAR = 10,791,000

To this must be added the goats and camelids slaughtered and the piglets that cannot now be estimated, to reach an overall round-figure total of around 11 MILLION DEATHS. These figures do not, for obvious reasons, allow for the pointless slaughter of farm cats and dogs and many thousands of chickens ordered to be destroyed by Defra.

The UK breeding flock was reduced by 13% (in England alone, by 18%)

The UK cattle herd was reduced by 6%

These figures were produced by the economics department at the MLC and after initial denials, were reluctantly accepted by Defra as accurate. The figures were also scrutinised by many of the watchers and correspondents who saw, at first hand, the FMD disaster unfold.

Hang your heads in shame, N. Brown, E. Morley and M. Beckett