Foot and mouth back again - in England

[Gabriel_Hurl]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/6930684.stm

Farm infected with foot and mouth

Cattle at a farm in Surrey have been found to be infected with foot and mouth disease.

Animals on a farm near Guildford had tested positive for the disease which swept the UK and wreaked havoc in 2001.

A three-kilometre protection zone has been put in place around the premises and a UK-wide ban imposed on movement of all cattle and pigs.

The farm has been under restrictions since late on Thursday when symptoms were reported.

[slow corner back]

If true that is a disaster that nobody needs. I know a few farmers from Cushendall just getting fully restocked after the last out break. Seriously bad knews for farming.

[Square Ball]

Hope it doesnt catch hold, its amazing the impact this has in the farming community, and the entire country

[johnpower]

Hope it doesnt catch hold, its amazing the impact this has in the farming community, and the entire country

Wasnt one of Tyrones matches called off the last time this happened

?

[Gabriel_Hurl]

Yep - there were quite a few matches called off - not just Tyrone games

[armaghniac]

Michelle Gildernew needs to introduce a bit of "ourselves alone".

[magickingdom]

this is bad news, hopefully it will turn out to be an isolated outbreak..

[Square Ball]

hope it is an isolated incident, but if this is discovered to be true heads will roll, especially if it does escalate

from the BBC


An assessment of bio-security at the Institute for Animal Health in Pirbright was also under way, she added.

The Pirbright institute, where research into foot-and-mouth is conducted, is located not far from the Surrey farm.

Ms Reynolds said "all possible sources" of the disease were being investigated.

[ardal]

Hopefully it won't escalate, but the UK's precautions and methods of isolation were pathetic the last time. I remember the Irish governments offer to police the English ports as they were so lax, but the brits refused. Sure didn't we even postpone the St Patricks day parade that year; correct me if I'm wrong but wasn't it eventually held in July?

[Bogball XV]

What does it actually do?  Is it not just a quick flu like illness for the animals and that's it?  Is the problem that other countries then refuse to take imports of meat and livestock from any country where the disease is confirmed, the reason they don't take the imports is not actually because they're worried about the disease, but they now have an excuse to ban imports? 

[ardal]

As far as I'm aware, it has no actual detrimental effect regarding human consumption and most other countries actually vaccinate against it. From an Irish point of view, we don't vaccinate and thus can be justified in saying that our meat products are of a higher natural quality. Think the british are one of the few countries which also don't vaccinate against it.

[Square Ball]

looks as if it may have come from the lab up the road

Foot-and-mouth strain identified 
 
The protection zone in Surrey has been extended


Aerial view of farm 
The strain of foot-and-mouth disease found at a Surrey farm has been identified, Defra has said.
The strain detected in infected cattle is identical to that used at the Institute for Animal Health, at Pirbright, three miles from the farm.

Defra could not say the laboratory was the source but has increased the size of the protection and surveillance zones covering farms in the area.

An urgent assessment of biosecurity has begun at the institute.

Precautionary measures

The strain is not one normally found in animals but in vaccines.
In a statement Defra said: "The present indications are that this strain is a 01 BFS67-like virus, isolated in the 1967 foot and mouth disease outbreak in Great Britain."


A 3km protection zone and 10km surveillance zone are in place


Enlarge Image


The vaccine batch which used the strain was being produced by pharmaceutical company Merial Animal Health.

The firm shares Pirbright with the Institute for Animal Health (IAH) which conducts research into foot-and-mouth.

Merial halted vaccine production as a precaution, Defra said.

Defra said in its statement: "This incident remains at an early stage. It is too soon to reach any firm conclusions.

"All potential sources of the virus will continue to be investigated.

[Fiodoir Ard Mhacha]

See how much more Irish we suddenly all are now that fut and mouth has hit Britain.........

[Hereiam]

Just having that arguement with a fellow worker. He started rambling on about the mainland so i suggested that we r going to have to teach the cows to say "moo" in irish from now on to get out of this.

[Square Ball]

second case identified