Farmer calls for dogs to be kept off land
CATTLE are being infected with a disease found in dog faeces and dog owners are being urged to keep their pets out of private fields.
In the wake of a recent spate of reports of a dog worrying sheep at Pleinmont, cattle farmer and Guernsey Farmers' Association spokesman James Watts said that it is not just animals being disturbed by dogs running off the lead that is worrying.
He said a serious problem can arise when the dog leaves mess that is not picked up.
'The problem is there can be a parasite in it which will cause cows to abort and those cows will not be able to get pregnant again,' he said.
'The parasite gets into the cow's muscle and when the cow goes to slaughter, it gets condemned and that costs us.'
Fields that are being used to grow grass for winter feed can be affected if infected faeces is caught up in the harvesting and mixed with the grass cuttings.
'People should have a conscience about walking their dogs through a field,' said Mr Watts.
Sheep farmer Ben Wallace shared Mr Watts' concerns about dog mess and its impact if it gets into the food chain.
There was a disease in dog mess that could affect sheep as well as cattle, he said.
