Mixamatosis

tanko

I have an out-farm with rough ground, always plenty of rabbits about. Have noticed dead or dying rabbits all over the place lately. I assume its mixamatosis, they seem to be going blind before they die. I havent seen this for twenty years. Is it common around the country? Are the dead rabbits a danger to pregnant cows?

Birdnuts

tanko wrote: »

I have an out-farm with rough ground, always plenty of rabbits about. Have noticed dead or dying rabbits all over the place lately. I assume its mixamatosis, they seem to be going blind before they die. I havent seen this for twenty years. Is it common around the country? Are the dead rabbits a danger to pregnant cows?

Sounds like Myxomatosis allright - There are still periodic outbreaks of this disease around the country though not on the scale of a few decades ago. I'd be pretty sure your cows are safe as this disease is specific to Lagomorphs ie. rabbits and hares - and it very rarely even affects hares. The disease moves quickly through rabbit populations and the outbreak should be over pretty soon after it starts.

tanko

Thanks for that, i was just wondering if cattle could pick up some infection of a dead rabbit. There has been a white rabbit around the place for a while now, i came across him staggering about today. I almost felt sorry for the hole digging little fecker!!

Birdnuts

tanko wrote: »

, i was just wondering if cattle could pick up some infection of a dead rabbit. !!

Very unlikely - a rabbit is a very small carcass that will be quickly dealt with by natures scavangers and decomposers.

cj maxx

discovered a few dead rabbits up here also. oul fella reckoned maxi. hadnt seen it in a long time

johngalway

You can eat mixi rabbits. No one does, because of their visual appearance, and they do get thin, but cooked properly they're safe. So I very much doubt there's a risk. Used to have them here where sheep and cattle grazed and they got wiped out by it, no problems reported in the stock.