Movement licences issued in Scotland
Preparations are being made for short movements of livestock on farms in Scotland to begin tomorrow in a bid to ease the suffering of animals in areas unaffected by foot and mouth.
Scottish Executive area offices have been busy over the weekend issuing farmers with licences on advice from vets.
Meanwhile, the number of confirmed cases of the disease in Scotland today rose to 22. Two farms at Lockerbie, Dumfries and Galloway, were the latest places where the slaughter of entire herds was announced.
The Executive also says tests for the disease at three suspected farms at Kirkstyle and Ruthwell, both in Dumfries and Galloway, and Galston in Ayrshire, had proved negative. But the farms were declared to have had dangerous contact with the disease and slaughtering would, therefore, take place.
A further nine farms in Scotland are suspected of having the disease, and test results are awaited.
Farmers say the short movement of livestock would allow them to bring in ewes for lambing and dairy herds for milking. But the National Farmers' Union of Scotland says many of its members will still suffer because of the limits of the scheme.
Vice-president Peter Stewart said: "This is an increasingly important issue. Farmers are supportive of the movement restrictions because they realise livestock transfer is the main route of spreading the disease.
"However, many farms are not eligible for the local movement scheme and welfare problems will spell disaster for some. We need as much evidence as we can to seek practical safe solutions to the problems."
Meanwhile, authorities in Dumfries and Galloway are urging against complacency. It has emerged that police have closed off lay-bys on trunk roads and motorists are being advised to avoid using minor roads in an attempt to further limit the spread of the disease.
Electronic signs across the northbound M74 are also warning drivers that they are approaching a foot and mouth area.
