The slaughter of animals has commenced on a farm in County Antrim after a number cattle and sheep were earlier today found to have lesions consistent with foot and mouth disease. The animals have been described as hot suspects. Samples have been sent to Pirbright for tests. A surveillance zone has been placed around the area pending the results. The animals are from a herd containing 40 cattle and 200 sheep. The herd in question is located in Cushendall. Minister Rodgers has described the news as very disappointing, coming as it does after the confirmation of the case at Ardboe in County Tyrone.
In another development, an emergency meeting of the Northern Ireland Executive is to be held on Monday to discuss the escalation in the foot and mouth crisis. A new cull of 4,000 cattle has been announced, following confirmation of the second foot and mouth outbreak. The mass slaughter will also extend to smaller numbers of pigs and sheep in the area. Minister Rodgers is involved in a series of talks with the First and Deputy First Ministers in an attempt to co-ordinate a plan to deal with the latest outbreak of the virus.
In a joint statement, David Trimble and Seamus Mallon have said that the outbreak was a major blow for all of Northern Ireland, but particularly for farmers and food processors. Meanwhile, the Minister for Agriculture in the Republic, Joe Walsh, described as harrowing the announcement of a second outbreak in the North. The Minister told RTÉ News he was speechless on hearing of the latest case in the North.
He said that he and his department's experts were baffled as to how this outbreak occurred because all textbooks on the subject say that the maximum incubation period for the foot and mouth virus is 28 days. He called for a redoubling of efforts in the fight against foot and mouth disease.
So the real worry now was the question of where the virus had been incubating in the six weeks since the first outbreak in the North, in Meigh, County Armagh. The Minister has re-ordered a total ban on the importation of animal-based products from the North. He appealed to sporting organisations over the Easter Bank Holiday weekend to be vigilant in keeping the disease out of the Republic. He appealed to organisers of sporting events being held this weekend to ensure that the necessary disinfecting arrangements are in place at all venues.
The President of the ICMSA, Pat O'Rourke, has urged farmers to inspect all their livestock. Ulster Farmers' Union deputy president John Gilliland said that farmers were gutted at the news. He sympathised with the Donnelly family, on whose farm the second outbreak has been confirmed, saying that they were a well-respected family. However, Mr Gilliland appealed to farmers not to panic in the face of this setback and he urged them to be extra vigilant.
The IFA President, Tom Parlon, has said that confirmation of the outbreak is a major disappointment in the fight to keep the island of Ireland clear of the disease. Mr Parlon expressed his alarm at how the outbreak could have occurred in County Tyrone and said that it was very important to establish the origin. He called for absolute vigilance at the border and said that it was essential that the outbreak was contained.
