Cull extended to neighbouring stock
24 March 2001
Cull extended to neighbouring stock
By Isabel Davies
LIVESTOCK are to be culled on farms across the country which lie alongside units where foot-and-mouth disease has been confirmed.
Agriculture Minister Nick Brown confirmed this escalation of efforts to tackle the growing crisis on Saturday (24 March) afternoon.
He formalised UK policy stating that animals on neighbouring farms can be slaughtered as dangerous contacts if there is a risk of spreading infection.
Vets will work on the assumption that the vast majority of stock on contiguous farms will be taken out as high-risk contacts.
But they will use discretion if there appears to be no risk of infection, said the minister.
While firebreak culls are being planned or taking place in heavily infected counties, this move marks a toughening approach nationwide.
The minister also announced that response times from confirmation of disease to slaughter and disposal had been significantly reduced.
The average time from reporting a case to slaughter had been reduced to 24 hours to most parts of the country, although not in heavily-infected Cumbria.
And the time from confirmation to slaughter had been reduced to just over 12 hours on average, half the time reported earlier in the week
Again, progress is less marked in Cumbria where the operation is taking more than 21 hours on average.
It was also announced that a military logistics specialists will set up in MAFF offices under Brigadier Malcolm Wood from 101 Logistics brigade Aldershot.
Military personnel will be based alongside MAFF vets to co-ordinate logistical work and oversee 200 troops are currently tackling the outbreak.
It was announced that further military teams are likely to be deployed in County Durham and possibly Essex, to help free up vets for other duties.
Mr Brown said vaccinating was an option for dampening down infection in hot spots, but reiterated problems with this strategy.
“Although we could adopt that policy to do it without the consent of those who own the animal, it would seem a pretty heavy handed thing to do.”
He said that efforts were continuing to find landfill sites and extending rendering and burial options for carcass disposal.
“Were having to trawl across government department to look at sites that would be appropriate near intense disease outbreaks,” said Mr Brown.
It also emerged that Tony Blair has gone to Devon to meet farmers who have been hit by the crisis.
Meanwhile, Tory leader William Hague has called for a “crisis cabinet” to meet daily until the outbreak is under control.
Thirty five new cases of foot-and-mouth were confirmed on Friday taking he UK total to 515.
There were 19 new outbreaks in Cumbria, seven in Dumfries and Galloway, six in Herefordshire.
Single outbreaks were confirmed in Monmouthshire, Worcestershire and West Yorkshire.