Originally from: Molly Maxwell
                        
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Originally from: "Ananova" <533...>
To: Molly Maxwell <...>
Subject: Four Scottish farms on foot-and-mouth alert – Ananova Alerting Date: Tue, 28 Aug 2001 07:16:46 GMT

Four farms in the Scottish Borders are feared to have had dangerous contact with a farm hit by foot-and-mouth in Northumberland.

Precautionary measures and restrictions on livestock movement have been placed on the farms in the Lauder area yesterday.

A farmer from the Hexham area is believed to have been on the Scottish farms last Thursday and may have had contact with sheep on all of the premises. All animal movements on and off the farms have been halted until further notice while tests are carried out.

Divisional veterinary manager Andrew Voas said the team had been closely monitoring the situation around Hexham since the first outbreak was confirmed last Friday.

He said: "It has been agreed that, at least for the time being, there will be no pre-emptive slaughter of stock on these four farms.

"There is no suggestion that precautionary restrictions need to be extended to neighbouring farms. Vets will continue to monitor the situation at the four farms very closely indeed."

The latest outbreak in Northumberland has been greeted with dismay in Scotland, where farmers hope to regain their export licences within days.

Scotland will have been free of foot-and-mouth for three months if no new cases are detected by Thursday, allowing it the apply for the restoration of access to overseas markets.

If, however, the outbreak spreads to Scotland, farmers there will have to wait at least another three months for export licences.

*Foot-and-mouth – All stories story sent by Ananova

See this story on the web at http://www.ananova.com/news/story/sm_384365.html