Cull extended to cattle and pigs

Pigs and cattle on farms close to the outbreak with be slaughtered

Plans for a massive extension of the planned slaughter of apparently healthy livestock have been unveiled by the Scottish Executive.

Cattle and pigs within the 3km zones round recently confirmed foot-and-mouth cases will be included in the cull.

Until now the policy in Scotland had only been applied to sheep on land within 3km of a confirmed outbreak of the disease.

Rural Affairs Minister Ross Finnie announced the effort to contain the disease is being stepped up.

Confirmed farms in Scotland include

78 cases on 24 March

Lockerbie (12 cases)

Canonbie (12)

Gretna (16)

Lochmaben(3)

Twynholm

Langholm

Beattock(4)

Corrie

Ruthwell(5)

Tundergarth

Moffat

Dalton(2)

Torthorward

Mouswald(6)

Hightae(2)

Kirtlebridge(2)

Creca

Collin

Kirkpatrick Fleming(2)

Annan

Troqueer

New Abbey

Haugh of Urr

Cattle and pigs on farms adjacent to premises where the disease has been detected since the 16 March will be slaughtered.

The automatic slaughter policy was also announced in London by UK Agriculture Minister Nick Brown.

It will apply in the infected area of Dumfries and Galloway, where five new cases were confirmed on Saturday taking the total to 78.

The new cases were confirmed at Newhope Farm, Kirkpatrick Fleming; Corbieton, Haugh of Urr; Skewbridge, Mouswald; Errolston, Gretna, and Milligan's Bush, Gretna.

A Scottish Executive spokesman confirmed that the extended culling programme was additional to other culling measures.

He said: "The overall aim of the strategy is to prevent the disease spreading beyond the east, west and north boundaries of known disease clusters.

"It will regrettably be necessary to remove all susceptible livestock on farms adjacent to premises which were confirmed as infected on or after 16 March.

"Beyond this area, the policy will remain to remove sheep only."

Ross Finnie: Cull to be stepped up

A spokesman for the Scottish National Farmers' Union (NFUS) said: "This is yet another sign that this disease is much more virulent than anyone had anticipated.

"They say this will be devastating news for many farmers but if this is what's needed to eradicate the disease then it has to be done.

The message from the NFUS is "Do it and do it quickly".

Meanwhile, the army has been brought in to help co-ordinate the pre-emptive cull of 130,000 sheep.

Pre-emptive cull

Teams from 1st battalion The Highlanders are expected to play a strictly logistical role in the pre-emptive cull.

They will help co-ordinate the pre-emptive cull of sheep but will not be involved in the actual slaughter or transportation.

Between 60 and 100 soldiers will be brought in to assist the operation next week.

Between 10 and 20 farms will be targeted each day until all those earmarked for slaughter have been killed.

Sheep with contacts to the Longtown Market in Cumbria are being targeted first - followed by those within a 3km zone of confirmed cases.