Fears that thaw could bring more disease scares
The number of foot and mouth cases in Scotland could rise as farmers begin to check animals stranded by last week’s atrocious weather conditions, the Scottish Executive warned today.
Livestock owners fear the true extent of the disease may have been hidden by the heavy snow and high winds which left communities in the Borders cut off for up to a week.
An Executive spokesman warned that the virus’ ability to survive at low temperatures meant further cases may emerge as the snow melts.
Last night the eighth outbreak of the disease in Scotland was confirmed at a sheep farm at Beattock, Dumfries and Galloway.
"What the thaw will do is allow farmers to check their sheep and that may reveal other infections," the spokesman said.
Operations to transport limited numbers of animals for slaughter began taking effect yesterday in areas which have not been hit by the foot and mouth scourge.
Livestock was taken under strictly controlled conditions to 11 abattoirs in the north-east of the country to allow stocks of meat to recover and avoid animals being needlessly kept on farms.
Bonfires were still blazing at some of the eight farms, all in the Dumfries and Galloway area, which have so far been confirmed as suffering from foot-and-mouth.
Test results were still being awaited at three other suspected sites at Polmont and Bo’ness in Central Scotland, and Galston in Ayrshire.
