|
|
|
FMD found in cattle at British farm, sparking concern among farmersEGHAM, England (AP)--British authorities confirmed the discovery of Foot and Mouth Disease Sept. 12 at a farm on the outskirts of London, sparking concerns among anxious farmers hoping to avoid a repeat of a similar crisis that gripped their industry last month. The highly contagious disease was found in cattle grazing in Surrey, a county that borders London, and close to a laboratory that was linked to the August outbreak, said Britain's chief veterinary officer, Debby Reynolds. The strain and origin of the disease have not been identified, she said. Cattle at the affected farm are being slaughtered and the government imposed a nationwide ban on the movement of pigs, cattle and sheep. Farmers fears were confirmed when the Institute for Animal Health confirmed a positive test for FMD within an hour of receiving samples from the farm. The Aug. 3 outbreak led to Britain slaughtering about 600 animals and suspending exports of livestock, meat and milk products for nearly three weeks. The final restrictions on cattle movement following that outbreak were lifted Sept. 8. The recent cases have brought grim reminders of a 2001 outbreak of the disease that led to the slaughter of thousands of animals in huge pyres across the country and millions of pounds in lost revenue to British farmers. "This is news that no one wanted to hear, least of all the farming industry. A national animal movement ban shows our determination to contain and eradicate this latest outbreak," said Environment Secretary Hilary Benn. The British agriculture industry estimated the disease led to losses of around in 8 billion pounds (US$16 billion; euro11.7 billion). A second suspected case of the disease had been investigated in Scotland, the British Broadcasting Corp., reported. Officials in Scotland later denied their was an outbreak there. Officials have set up a 10-kilometer, or six-mile, control zone to monitor the outbreak in the affected area in Surrey, the county on the southwest outskirts of London. A narrow path leading into a stretch of farmland around Egham was closed off, and police said they were going to cordon off area roads. Prime Minister Gordon Brown chaired an emergency meeting of senior officials. The August outbreak was centered near the government-funded Institute for Animal Health, a diagnostic laboratory, and Merial Animal Health, a British unit of the U.S.-French pharmaceutical firm Merial Ltd. The laboratory uses live viruses for research, and Merial uses them to produce vaccines. Investigators believe the August outbreak originated from the site but was unable to determine whether it was from the government laboratory or Merial's vaccine factory. Farmers say another outbreak would be a catastrophe for the industry, which has suffered a series of blows in recent years. The European Commission, the European Union's executive body, said it had suspended plans to allow the full trade of live British animal exports to resume in November. The suspension was put in place following the August outbreak. EU veterinary experts were meeting in Brussels, Belgium, Sept. 12 to assess the situation and decide on a possible meat export ban.
Date: 10/4/07 Advertisement
Copyright/Privacy
Copyright 1995-2009. High Plains Publishers, Inc. All rights reserved. Any republishing of these pages, including electronic reproduction of the editorial archives or classified advertising, is strictly prohibited. If you have questions or comments you can reach us at High Plains Journal 1500 E. Wyatt Earp Blvd., P.O. Box 760, Dodge City, KS 67801 or call 1-800-452-7171. Email: webmaster@hpj.com |
Market Snapshot Inside Futures |
