Foot-and-mouth spreads to south-west

25 February 2001



Foot-and-mouth spreads to south-west

by FWi staff

FOOT-AND-MOUTH disease has been confirmed at a farm in south-west England, meaning the disease has now spread the length and breadth of Britain.

Ministry of Agriculture officials said the disease had been found at a cattle and sheep at a farm in Highampton, north Devon, on Sunday (25 February).

The farmer there runs 13 premises, 11 in Devon and two in the neighbouring county of Cornwall, all of which will now be inspected by government vets.

The news is a major blow to one of Britains biggest livestock areas and means that efforts to contain the disease have so far effectively failed.

Seven confirmed cases of foot-and-mouth have now been discovered.

The governments chief veterinary officer Jim Scudamore said he believed that the Highampton farmer was involved in sheep exports to Europe.

However, no animals have been moved off the farm since the government banned all livestock movements in Britain on Friday (23 February).

It remains unclear whether the Devon case is linked to the Northumberland pig fattening unit at Heddon-on-the-Wall thought to be the source of the outbreak.

Richard Drummond, the Ministry of Agricultures head of Veterinary Services for the northern region, urged farmers to remain vigilant at all times.

It was preferable for farmers to report all suspect cases of the disease at the earliest opportunity rather than wait until later, he said.

• Snow hampers foot-and-mouth fight, FWi, 24 February 2001
• School cancelled over foot-and-mouth, FWi, 24 February 2001
• Disease experts focus on pig feed, FWi, 24 February 2001
• Source farm was given all-clear, FWi, 24 February 2001
• Foot-and-mouth family wont give up, FWi, 24 February 2001
• Touch-and-go on foot-and-mouth, FWi, 24 February 2001
• Foot-and-mouth news update, FWi, 23 February 2001

• Scotland on Sunday 25 February 2001 page1, 2, 14,15 and 20