Foot-and-mouth slaughter begins in UK
The slaughter of animals infected by a fresh outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease has begun on a farm in Surrey, England.
Livestock at the farm, near Guildford, are being rounded up and killed.
The UK Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) has imposed a three-kilometre “protection zone” and a 10km “surveillance zone” around the farm.
A nationwide ban on the movement of all sheep, cattle and pigs has also been put in place and there is a voluntary export ban on all animals and animal products.
British Prime Minister Gordon Brown and Environment Secretary Hilary Benn cancelled their holidays to return to London to attend a meeting of government emergency committee Cobra this morning.
Speaking after the meeting, Mr Brown said a number of inquiries had already been set up to establish the source of the disease in Surrey “within hours and days”.
Asked if there was a danger of an epidemic on the scale of 2001, he said: “We are doing everything in our power to avoid a repeat of those incidents.”
Mr Brown, who was holidaying with his family in Dorset, England, when the outbreak was confirmed, added: “We will be doing, night and day, everything in our power to make sure that what happens happens quickly and happens decisively in a way that can reassure people that everything is being done.
“I want to thank the farming communities and indeed all rural communities for their tremendous co-operation and for the forbearance and patience that has been shown in what I know is a very anxious time for our rural communities.
“Our first priority has been to act quickly and decisively. That is why we have a national ban already imposed on the movement of sheep and pigs and cattle.
“That is why we have acted to create exclusion zones that are already in existence. That is why also the culling of the herd in the infected area is already taking place.”
Investigations began on Thursday when cattle with symptoms of foot-and-mouth were reported at the farm.
Initial results from scientific analysis of the virus could be available as early as late today, though it may take longer depending on the strain of the virus involved.
Once the strain has been identified, experts will check to see whether relevant vaccines are available in the British or European vaccine banks.
The outbreak raised the spectre of the foot-and-mouth epidemic of 2001, which brought chaos to Britain and left farming and tourist industries devastated.
It led to the slaughter of between 6.5 and 10 million animals, ruined many rural businesses and is estimated to have cost the country up to €12.6bn.
Farming Weekly livestock editor Jonathan Long said farmers were impressed by the speed at which Defra had acted.
“Everyone I have spoken to is obviously concerned but also pleased with the way Defra have reacted,” he said.
“In 2001 it was four or five days until the movement ban was put in place but they have clearly learnt from that mistake and this time acted very quickly.
“Hopefully this outbreak is the index case and a cull will stop the spread of infection. But it is likely the ban will stay in place for the next 28 days meaning a great deal of disruption for farmers.
“We now have to seriously consider vaccinating animals but the concern then is some countries may not trade with the UK.”
Michael More-Molyneux, of 1,400-acre Loseley Farm, which is just five miles from the infected site, said he was hopeful there would not be a repeat of the devastation of 2001.
He said: “Luckily for us, the wind is going from north to south so it is not coming in our direction. The other thing is that hopefully they have got on top of it in time. They were much quicker off the mark than last time round.
“The first time there was a lot of stock moving across the country. This time there has been a lot less movement.”
But he admitted he was concerned about his cattle.
“We are keeping our fingers crossed but there is really nothing we can do about it except wait,” he added.
“We have shut the farm off and are making sure anyone coming on to the farm is stopped. We have also diverted some of the footpaths which go through fields of young stock.
“It doesn’t do confidence in agriculture or tourism or British exports any good and of course it will damage confidence in British products.
“Everyone is a loser here, we are losers all round. We can only hope that this outbreak is a flash in the pan.”
Cobra will meet again this afternoon to be updated on the situation.
