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Snow hampers foot-and-mouth fight

- 24 February 2001
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24 February 2001



Snow hampers foot-and-mouth fight

by Sarah Walton in Northumberland

SIEGE conditions prevail in rural Northumberland as wintry weather adds to the difficulties of farmers caught up in the foot-and-mouth disease outbreak.

Lorries have been delivering wood and coal ready for burning animal carcasses at the Heddon-on-the-Wall farm said to be the source of the virus.

Preparations continue for the on-farm slaughter and incineration of livestock at the unit. Diggers in a field have been seen digging holes ready for burying remains.

Ian Williamson, who farms at Ponteland, where the disease has spread, faces the slaughter 140 pedigree Limousin cattle and hundreds of sheep.

Government Chief Veterinary Officer Jim Scudamore has already ruled out incinerating the carcasses at rending plants for fear of spreading the disease.

But snow falls and colder weather forecast for the next two days threaten to lengthen the incubation period of the virus which has hit a total of six British farms.

Warm and sunny conditions would help to kill off the virus, according to veterinary experts, and supplies of disinfectant have run out in many areas.

More deliveries are expected next week. Until then, many farming families are waiting and worrying behind straw barriers placed at the end of their farm drives.

Children from farming families in a 10 mile radius around the farm have been told not attend school until further notice in case the disease is transmitted.

It is still too early to say when the crisis will end but Agriculture Minister Nick Brown has said that there is room for “cautious optimism”.

Local farmers are taking some solace in the knowledge that there have been no new cases since livestock movements were banned on Friday (23 February).

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