New outbreak of foot and mouth disease brings warning for Wharfedale farmers (From Wharfedale Observer)

New outbreak of foot and mouth disease brings warning for Wharfedale farmers

3:02pm Wednesday 12th September 2007 in Local news By Amanda Greaves

FARMERS in Wharfedale were this afternoon warned to be vigilant after a new case of foot and mouth disease was confirmed in Surrey.

The recently-lifted nationwide ban on livestock movements after August's outbreak in Surrey was reimposed this afternoon.

The foot and mouth outbreak in a herd of cattle at Egham in Surrey again raised the spectre of the devastating disease which closed down the countryside in 2001 and resulted in the mass slaughter of cattle, sheep and pigs all over the country.

Restrictions have been eased in recent weeks, and the EU was preparing to allow meat, dairy and livestock exports to resume. The EU Commission now says it has suspended its decision.

Peter Kendall, president of the National Farmers' Union, told BBC News 24 it was a "disaster" for British agriculture and the industry "will be absolutely devastated" at the news.

Chief veterinary officer, Debby Reynolds, said yesterday that the disease had been con-firmed at Egham, after laboratory test results were received.

She said: "As always in such circumstances, I reiterate my message to animal keepers to practice the highest standards of biosecurity, remain vigilant for disease and report any suspi-cions quickly."

Some news organisations yesterday afternoon said all the cattle in the herd had shown the symptoms of the disease, which can prove fatal to cattle, sheep, pigs and other cloven-hoofed animals.

A new control zone has been set up by the Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA), and the herd of cattle affected was slaughtered.

The source of the recent Surrey outbreak was believed to be a leaking drainage system from laboratories at Pirbright, occupied by the Institute of Animal Health and American animal drugs firm Merial. The virus was thought to have been un-wittingly on flood water and ve-hicle tyres to nearby farms.

The farm at the centre of the newly suspected case is around ten miles north of Pirbright. Surrey had earlier this week been declared a foot and mouth-free zone.