OKfor vaccination
OKfor vaccination
EU VETS have given the UK permission to start vaccinating dairy cattle in Devon and Cumbria in a bid to contain foot-and-mouth.
The aim is to target animals currently housed in-doors so that they can be turned out on pastures currently occupied by sheep in a months time, said a UK government source in Brussels. About 180,000 cattle in the two counties should be treated.
"Currently there are about 200,000 sheep in the contiguous zones. They are excreting the virus and cannot all be killed within the month. Vaccinating the cattle will free-up resources to focus on the sheep and will also prevent the cows from getting infected when they do go out.
"If the cows got infected there would be a much greater incidence of wind borne spread," said the source.
No decision has been taken about the future fate of these cattle – whether or not they should be slaughtered – although they may not be moved from the area for at least a year.
Without slaughter, exports of milk or meat will be banned until 12 months after the last injection is administered or after the last case of the disease is seen. But with live exports already banned, the trade implications will be limited, said the source.
There is also a hope that GBs foot-and-mouth status will be regionalised, so areas not vaccinating and free of the disease will, at some point, be cleared by Brussels to resume exports.