Foot and Mouth

[njc110381]

I've just been on the phone to the farmer where I shoot and he's told me there is another confirmed case of foot and mouth today. Anyone have any more details? Is it spreading or still fairly close to the original outbreak?

[al4x]

From what I have heard and this isn't in the news yet but the first beasts that were culled were found to have the F&M antibody not the virus this means that as they were out at grass they may not have been spotted to have the disease and got over the worst stages of it which apparently they do. The pigs that were culled have come back as negative and the ones being culled at the moment are sheep and so far harder to spot the disease in and don't exhibit signs as well, having just read the news update they are saying they show signs of exposure to the disease not that they actually have it. The farms involved are in the original exclusion zone all of this may answer why the disease with a 14 day incubation period managed to carry on and hopefully will mean its still local and hasn't passed on. That area doesn't have huge numbers of animals so hopefully it will remain contained. Of course this goes a little way to explain why movement restrictions have been relaxed in the country so far but of course no one wants to stand up and say we have it under control.