Mass slaughter may be illegal

20 March 2001



‘Mass slaughter may be illegal’

By FWi staff

A MASS slaughter policy to eradicate food-and-mouth is scientifically mistaken and could spread the disease, claims a leading vet.

Moreover, it is agriculturally and economically suicidal and could be illegal under European law, according to a document obtained by The Guardian.

It says the document is prepared by one of the countrys most prominent vet with close links to the Pirbright disease centre in Surrey.

The vet — who has asked to remain anonymous — wrote the report for the organic research group the Elm Farm research centre.

The author says foot-and-mouth is too infectious in high-density stocking regimes for control by slaughter, especially if stock cannot be killed in two days.

Delays in response may also contravene EU law which requires safe slaughter and disposal without delay, says the paper.

It claims that delays have already led to new infections.

Farmers fear the disease is also spreading because it is taking up to a week for animals to be killed after foot-and-mouth is diagnosed.

Many carcasses are then left to rot for days in fields.

The paper suggests the Government has little idea of how far the disease has spread beyond restriction zones, especially windborne from pig farms.

Mass vaccination will enormously reduce the risk, and could bring about a reduction to zero within three weeks, claims the paper.

It says Britain could regain its foot-and-mouth free status quicker than believed as new tests can distinguish vaccinated from infected animals.

Meanwhile, The Daily Telegraph reports that a scheme is being thrashed out to spare key animals in flocks marked for the safety first cull.

It says the plan proposed by the National Sheep Association to maintain valuable bloodlines would involve placing selected stock in quarantine zones.

In another development, supermarkets have pledged 2m to help farmers through a fund set up by the Institute of Grocery Distribution.

Money will provide immediate relief through charities nominated by the National Farmers Union.

And The Independent says ministers are finalising details of a rescue package for the rural economy which will halve business rates and defer VAT payments.

The crisis is now in its fifth week. Twenty three more cases of foot-and-mouth were announced on Monday (19 March) taking the number of outbreaks to 348.