Australia's livestock fear

Slaughtering infected herds would be an immense task

In response to the outbreak of foot-and-mouth in Britain, Australia has stepped up customs checks, and temporarily suspended all UK imports that could pose a risk.

So far there is no sign that any case has reached Australia, but officials are fearful about the terrible effects it could bring.

An outbreak could cost Australia up to A$10bn ($5bn) in the first year alone and wipe out 25,000 jobs, officials have warned.

Carson Creagh, spokesman for Australia's Quarantine and Inspection Service, AQIS, said the livestock export industry would also grind to a halt.

Killing all feral animals in Australia would be a nightmare

Carson Creagh, Australian Quarantine Service

But Mr Creagh said if the disease took hold in Australia's vast outback, the army would have to be drafted in to kill infected animals.

Not only would domestic livestock be at risk, but also animals who run virtually wild on Australia's huge farms and wild animals such as camels, pigs and goats.

"Trying to kill all the feral cattle, goats and pigs in Australia would be a nightmare," said Mr Creagh.

"Simply hunting and destroying them would have to be done by the military," he said.

Quarantine laws

Australia's last outbreak of the disease was more than 100 years ago.

Australia is monitoring developments in Europe closely

The Australian authorities have deployed extra inspectors, sniffer dogs and x-ray machines at airports and mail exchanges.

Flights from Britain and mainland Europe are being checked more closely than usual.

Special in-flight videos are being screened to inform travellers of Australia's very strict quarantine laws, which if broken carry fines and imprisonment.

Livestock fears

Estimates by the Australian Bureau of Agricultural and Resource Economics show that the livestock industry, currently worth up to $7bn a year, could take years to recover if foot-and-mouth reaches the country.

Australia's livestock

115m sheep

23m cattle

Large herds of pigs, goats, deer

Australia is relatively free of the world's most serious pests and diseases, but foot-and-mouth is endemic in parts of Asia.

In Hong Kong, for example, more 400 pigs have died of foot-and-mouth disease there in recent months.

Unlike in Britain where thousands of cattle, pigs and sheep are being killed, the government in Hong Kong says the outbreak doesn't warrant any slaughter of animals.