Jobs warning from abattoir chiefs

Auction houses would normally be full of animals

Abattoir bosses have warned that unless livestock movements start again soon as many as 5,000 jobs across Scotland could be lost later this week.

The Scottish Association of Meat Wholesalers said supplies of livestock will dry up by Thursday at the latest, unless the transport ban is relaxed.

The meat industry is fearful that the ban on animal movements prompted by foot-and-mouth disease concerns will be extended beyond Friday.

Some of the 400 staff at the ANM mart in Aberdeenshire have been finding what work they can to keep busy among the auction rings which would normally be thronging with cattle.

Staff at one mart have been trying to keep busy

Workers have been cleaning the complex, but the company's Brian Pack said that lay-offs come ever closer the longer the ban goes on.

He said: "I think seven days is a long time anyway and if you extend that then it will be meltdown for many people."

Abattoirs have suggested that to cut the threat of job losses livestock movements between farms and slaughterhouses should be allowed under licence and with strict controls.

Tests from Banks Farm at Fyvie, Aberdeenshire, where foot-and-mouth was suspected have so far proved negative and the final result should be known on Tuesday.

Import ban call

Although there have been no confirmed cases in Scotland concern amongst farmers is still running high.

John Kinnaird, of the Scottish NFU, said: "If this disease is confirmed on any farm all the stock are slaughtered and burnt, as we have seen on the news down south.

"And that, if you have spent a lifetime building up your herd, to have that literally slaughtered and burnt in front of your eyes is just something you cannot contemplate at all."

Infected animal carcasses have been destroyed

Scottish farming leaders have also called for a complete ban on the import of meat from overseas.

Their demand was made as it was revealed an abattoir under suspicion of being contaminated with foot-and-mouth is owned by Grampian Country Foods.

The Scottish-based firm's slaughterhouse in Anglesey, North Wales, has been sealed off while tests are carried out.

Meetings cancelled

Ed Rainy Brown, chief executive of the Scottish NFU, said farmers were anxious and wanted to see more action taken to put an end to the crisis.

He said: "We have also called for a ban on all imports of meat, because until the source of this outbreak is understood we cannot be sure where the infection that has affected this farm in the north-east of England first came from.

"I think we would be talking about something short-term until we found out the source."

Edinburgh Zoo has been closed as a precaution

The union also urged members of the public to heed warnings to stay away from farms with livestock.

Farmers expressed concern that some ramblers, walkers, hill climbers and horse riders have been ignoring the advice to stay away and have been risking spreading the disease.

As a further precaution the union has cancelled all meetings of farmers across the country in response to the threat of the disease.

The impact of the infection is spreading ever further - bosses at Edinburgh Zoo have now decided to close to minimise the risk to their animals.