Sheep to die in 3km slaughter zones

15 March 2001



Sheep to die in 3km slaughter zones

By FWi staff

HUNDREDS of thousands of sheep within 3km of farms infected with foot-and-mouth disease are to be killed, the government has announced.

In Scotland, 200,000 sheep will be shot, mainly concentrated around the towns of Canonbie and Lockerbie. This is equivalent to 1% of the Scottish flock.

Farmers will be compensated at market value.

Scottish rural affairs minister Ross Finnie said he appreciated the devastation the cull would cause but said it was the only way of controlling the disease.

A similar announcement is expected to be made by agriculture minister Nick Brown in the House of Commons on Tuesday (15 March).

The government also wants to trace livestock sold at Longtown market, Carlisle last month. Many of those animals are also likely to be culled.

Peter Stewart, vice-president of the National Farmers Union of Scotland, described the measures as draconian but unfortunately necessary.

All farmers would comply with the order, he believed.