Buffaloes victim of foot-and-mouth

20 March 2001



Buffaloes victim of foot-and-mouth

By Sarah Walton in Northumberland

A HERD of imported Romanian water buffaloes are among the latest casualties of Britains ongoing foot-and-mouth epidemic.

About 130 buffaloes are being slaughtered on a Northumberland farm near Heddon-on-the-Wall, close to the pig unit thought to be the source of the outbreak.

This news emerged as the government confirmed four more cases of foot-and-mouth, taking the number of cases to 353.

Northumberland farmers Dennis and Richard Gibb had found two dairy cows from their 320-strong herd with symptoms on Saturday (17 March).

The cows were “mouthing in a strange fashion”. The animals had raised temperatures and tongue lesions. They were then confirmed with the disease.

Richard Gibb said the infected cows would be put down first as he believed they were suffering most. Their buffaloes were also showing signs of foot-and-mouth.

He told FARMERS WEEKLY: “It is easy to think you want them killed straight away, but the practicalities are difficult and finding a site is not easy.”

Mr Gibb said that he would have offered his animals in a voluntary cull if that were really what it would take to stop the spread of foot-and-mouth.

But he accepts that, as his stock has now succumbed, this bold statement may be greeted with disbelief – especially by farmers in Cumbria.

The water buffalo were imported subject to strict regulations in 1998. The milk was sent to London for processing into premium mozzarella.

But the animals did not yield as much as the brothers had hoped.

Herd management was easy but care regarding health the temperamental nature of the animals made milking and artificial insemination difficult.

The buffalo cows are reluctant to let down their milk. It is difficult to spot when the animals are in season, so getting them into calf can be a challenge.