Foot and mouth: More farms come within surveillance and protection zones

DEFRA has widened the size of the surveillance and protection zones around the foot-and-mouth outbreak in Surrey.

The culling of the cattle on the infected enterprise in Surrey was completed on Saturday (4 Aug).

This included the 38 cattle known to be infected, and cattle on two additional sites, which were owned by the same farmer.

The cattle on these two sites, both within the Surveillance Zone, showed no clinical signs of the disease but were culled in line with normal procedure and tested. 

Post-mortem tests have since revealed that of the additional animals slaughtered one of them was positive for foot and mouth.

Chief vet Debby Reynolds has therefore instructed that an additional 3km radius Protection Zone and wider 10km radius Surveillance Zone be placed around the second part of the farm.

In addition, as a precaution because of potentially dangerous contacts, susceptible animals on one farm located next door to the field are being culled.

What do you think about the outbreak? Join a discussion on the outbreak on the FWiSpace forums.

For more on foot and mouth see: Foot and mouth – Farmers Weekly Interactive’s special report.