Animals rounded up for Anglesey cull

A massive slaughter operation is set to begin

The process of rounding up animals has begun in preparation for a 10-day mass cull of 40,000 sheep on Anglesey but arguments continue over where to bury them.

Councillors on the island - which has been badly hit by the foot-and-mouth outbreak - have rejected the Environment Agency's favoured option of the Penhesgyn landfill site near Menai Bridge.

Ministry official arrives at a contaminated farm

The planned cull is the most drastic step to be taken in Wales since the crisis began, but the Ministry of Agriculture hopes that it will create a firebreak - similar to that in Cumbria - which will stop the virus in its tracks.

Early on Tuesday, there were fears that the cull would be delayed as the abattoir where they will be slaughtered does not have the necessary licence.

But Welsh Assembly Agriculture Minister Carwyn Jones has dismissed it as a "minor problem" would soon be resolved.

So far on Tuesday, there have been no further confirmed cases of foot-and-mouth in Wales and the total so far remains static at 42.

It is absolute anarchy up here, Carwyn Jones has created chaos, distress and anger

Welsh Tory Agriculture spokesman Peter Rogers

Of those, 13 of which are on Anglesey, 25 in Powys and a further four in Monmouthshire. An additional 14 sites are under suspicion.

The cull on Anglesey - which is due to go ahead at 1400BST and be completed over a 10-day period - is not without its opposition with farmers insisting that killing seemingly healthy animals is too drastic a measure.

Welsh Conservative Agriculture Spokesman has attacked the "chaos of ministerial incompetence".

"It is absolute anarchy up here, Carwyn Jones has created chaos, distress and anger," he said.

"The level of incompetence demonstrated here today proves that the coalition is incapable of handling this national emergency.

"The failure to communicate and work with farmers on the ground has resulted in this shambles. Carwyn Jones has been spinning the message that everything is under control - today's events show that to be a lie."

Checking a lamb for signs of the disease

But Welsh Assembly First Minister Rhodri Morgan insisted that the level of opposition to the operation on Anglesey was "minuscule".

Around a quarter of farmers on the island - which relies on agriculture and tourism to support its economy - will be affected.

Some are marking up their best animals in the hope they can be saved under plans to spare some pedigrees.

The first cull of 2,000 animals will take place at Welsh Country Foods abattoir at Gaerwen - where the first outbreak in Wales was confirmed more than a month ago.

A smaller, localised cull is being contemplated in the Church Stoke area of Powys to deal with the outbreak there.

Ministry vets have begun contacting farms in preparation for the killings.

This is a dark day for Welsh farmers

NFU Cymru President Hugh Richards

National Farmers Union Cymru president Hugh Richards said: "This is a "dark day for Welsh farmers".

Elsewhere it has emerged that a herd of deer at Powis Castle near Welshpool, mid Wales, are to be slaughtered after coming into "dangerous contact" with the virus.

An outbreak had been detected in a group of farms within the castle estate where the deer graze.