Irish Republic bans animal products

Detailed inspections of farms are to be carried out

The Irish Government has banned imports of animal and dairy products from the UK, including Northern Ireland, following an outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease.

The move was announced in the Irish Parliament on Tuesday by junior agriculture minister Noel Davern.

It follows news that restrictions are to be placed on some pig farms in the province following the discovery of the first case of foot-and-mouth disease in Britain for 20 years.

Mr Davern also said police would patrol the border, between Northern Ireland and the Irish Republic, to enforce the directive.

He added: "This disease is extremely infectious and has serious implications for agriculture production."

Earlier, the province's chief veterinary officer, Dr Bob McCracken, said restrictions would apply to farms which had supplied pigs to the abattoir in Essex, where the infected herd was discovered.

The authorities are also seeking to trace sheep which were transported back in the same lorry to Northern Ireland.

Dr McCracken said foot-and-mouth disease had not been seen in Northern Ireland since 1941.

Signs of virus

Meanwhile, the chairman of the Ulster Farmers' Union's pigs committee Charlie Pogue, has urged producers to be vigilant and look out for signs of the virus.

These include sudden lameness in animals and blisters at the top of the foot and on the snout and tongue.

Mr Pogue said: "It would be spread very quickly because it affects any cloven-hooved animals, not only pigs.

"Apparently it is a very hot strain that has hit GB at this particular time so we would like to ensure that Northern Ireland is free and kept that way."

Agriculture officials in England are investigating the source of the Essex outbreak and are providing the latest information to their counterparts across the UK.

In another development, the disease has been found in a number of cattle close to the abattoir in Essex.

Farmers may face a ban on the export of all live animals following the discovery.

We need the assistance of the farming community to check their stock and report any potential symptoms

MAFF spokeswoman

England's chief veterinary officer Jim Scudamore has warned that a complete ban may be required after a routine inspection at an abattoir and farm diagnosed the virus in 28 pigs.

All the animals in the farm and abattoir - around 300 in total - would be slaughtered immediately, he said.

Five-mile animal exclusion zones have been imposed around the abattoir and farm - which are both south of Brentwood, Essex.

The cases were confirmed by Mr Scudamore, after an inspecting vet visited the abattoir on Monday.

Contacting farmers

The Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (MAFF) said: "We need the assistance of the farming community to check their stock and report any potential symptoms, because this does spread very rapidly."

The last major outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease in Britain was in 1967.

The Food Standards Agency says it has no implications for the human food chain.