Germany plans huge animal cull

Germany sealed off farms that bought British animals

Germany has ordered the immediate destruction of all sheep and goats imported from the UK in the last four weeks, in an attempt to prevent the spread of foot-and-mouth disease to the country.

The destruction order will apply regardless of whether they came from areas of the UK hit by the disease.

Animals from infected UK farms are being slaughtered and burnt

The latest move to try to contain the spread of the highly contagious livestock disease comes as European countries intensify their measures to prevent the UK epidemic from affecting their farms.

Although foot-and-mouth poses no risk to humans, the highly infectious disease can be fatal to cattle, sheep, goats and pigs.

Germany has already slaughtered nearly 2,000 sheep from British herds affected by the disease, and sealed off farms which have bought British animals in the past month.

France is planning to slaughter 50,000 sheep that have either been imported fron the UK or come into contact with British animals

Belgium is starting its cull of livestock on Thursday, with reports suggesting some 2,000 animals will be destroyed.

Passengers arriving in Portugal from Britain are being disinfected

In Portugal, visitors from Britain are being disinfected as they arrive, while Spain has instituted its first nationwide measures, including a ban on the movement of goats and sheep.

In Britain itself, the slaughter and burning of infected animals continues and the Forestry Commission has closed all its land to the public.

There are fears that the disease may have spread to the Irish Republic, a country which has a large agricultural economy and has so far escaped contamination from Britain.

A suspected case of the highly contagious livestock disease was discovered in Northern Ireland on Wednesday, not far from the border with the Republic.

In the past, livestock have often been smuggled across the border, heightening fears of the virus spreading into the Irish Republic.