A disease spread in dog poo could spell disaster for cattle near walking routes on the Belfast hills, conservationists have warned. Neospora has been branded a "silent killer" but is easily avoided if dog walkers bag and bin their pets' faeces. Infection causes miscarriages in pregnant cows and leaves them unable to breed again.
Dr Lizzy Pinkerton from the Belfast Hills Partnership said cattle were "basically the conservation tool" on the hills, where they help manage vegetation to support a healthy biodiversity. "Not everyone is a responsible dog owner," she said. "People think when they go up into the hills that it doesn't matter, the dogs can just go anywhere and nature will take care of it," Dr Pinkerton said.
"Unfortunately it carries disease. "For the farmers trying to make a living off the hills, it is devastating." Andrew McCammond's 200 suckler cows are among the herds that graze across the Belfast hills.
The cattle help manage vegetation to support a healthy biodiversity. "They say Divis Mountain and the hills surrounding it are in good environmental condition," said Mr McCammond. "If it wasn't grazed and managed with cows, there would be a lot more forage and then once in a while, there would be a massive fire which would have a detrimental effect and do away with this beautiful area.
" The hills attract thousands of visitors and dog-walkers every year, most of them careful to stick to the publicly accessible areas outlined on maps. But some are not so careful. That.
