Europe alert over farm disease

Belgium and Ireland have closed their livestock markets for a week, as a precaution against contagion from the foot-and-mouth disease outbreak in Britain.

The movement of stock in Britain has been banned, and the slaughter of thousands of animals at various farms has begun.

But a Belgian spokesman said there was a risk that infected animals may have already been exported. He said efforts to trace British livestock in Belgium was underway. Ireland has imposed a range of protective measures, including a ban on the import of animal feed -- part of what the government called a massive effort to keep the disease out of the country.

European Union farm ministers meet on Monday to discuss what's seen as a growing agricultural crisis. Last week fresh cases of mad cow disease were reported in Italy, Germany, Belgium, Spain and Switzerland.

From the newsroom of the BBC World Service