Leics in F&Mthreat
Leics in F&Mthreat
FOOT-AND-MOUTH restrictions returned to Leicestershire three months after it was declared disease-free when two cattle farms were suspected of having the virus.
Fifty-three cattle were slaughtered on farms at Copt Oak, near Loughborough, and Sketchley, near Hinckley, after lesions were detected at the weekend (Sep 8 and 9). Other farms within 8km of the suspect cases were placed under restriction.
Preliminary tests came back negative, but farmers were still awaiting final blood test results as farmers weekly went to press. An NFU East Midlands spokeswoman was "reasonably confident" of a negative result but said nothing would be taken for granted until this was confirmed.
There were 10 new confirmed cases, all in Cumbria and Northumberland, in the week up to Sep 12, taking the total number of cases to 2014. *
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