Blair delays vaccination decision

31 March 2001



Blair delays vaccination decision

by FWi staff

TONY Blair has delayed a decision on whether to vaccinate 100,000 cattle in an attempt to stop the spread of foot-and-mouth disease.

The Prime Minister, who has held talks with farmers leaders and veterinary experts, is now unlikely to decide on the matter until after the weekend.

Ben Gill, president of the National Farmers Union, said too many questions remained unanswered on the issue of whether vaccination should be used.

More evidence and further talks are needed before any decision is made, he said.

Mr Gill and other farm leaders last met agriculture minister Nick Brown and the governments chief veterinary officer Jim Scudamore on Friday (30 March)

They discussed the evolution of the disease throughout Britain and especially the worst-hit areas of north-west and south-west England and southern Scotland.

Mr Gill said: “We believe many questions remain unanswered.

“Where will the disease go with the current intensity of culling? What practical things are stopping us from increasing the rate of slaughter?

“Reports from around the country suggest that there is some improvement – although it is limited – in applying the current strategy for eradicating the disease.

“There is a clear need for evaluation of any additional measures before any augmentation of that strategy is carried out.

Mr Gill claimed that everyone in the meeting agreed that a slaughter and destruction policy remains the best solution to the problem.

“The key remains rapid slaughter of confirmed cases,” he said.

However, some livestock producers have warned that there will be no replacement stock to replace slaughtered animals unless vaccination is introduced immediately.

Andrew Wood, who farms at Auldgirth, Dumfries and Galloway farm, is 10 miles from an outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease.

If the disease spreads further, it could decimate hill flocks of replacement sheep which sheep producers will need to restock after the epidemic, he said.

“The Government has not thought this through at all,” said Mr Wood. “If we have to take out all the stock where are we going to get replacements from?”