Livestock disease a big blow to farmers
LONDON - British livestock farmers, already reeling from high feed prices, are wondering how they are going to survive after another outbreak this week of deadly foot and mouth disease.
14 September 2007
2 minute read
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| Police seal off Stroude Road in Egham, Surrey, where there was an outbreak of foot and mouth disease amongst cattle on Milton Park Farm. (AFP) |
"The feed crisis is one thing. The foot and mouth crisis is another. Put them together and it makes the risk very difficult to manage," Yorkshire pig farmer Richard Longthorp said.
The European Union banned all British exports of fresh meat, live animals and milk products after Britain confirmed a foot and mouth outbreak on a cattle farm in southern England on Wednesday. A ban on livestock movements was also imposed.
The disease, which is most noticed when it hits cattle herds, also affects pigs, sheep, goats and deer.
Britain had a huge outbreak of the disease in 2001 which led to the destruction of tens of thousands of heads of cattle.
