Warning over surplus lambs

Thousands of lambs will have to be slaughtered

Farmers in Wales are expecting a glut of unwanted lambs because of the knock on effects of the foot-and-mouth crisis.

They claim that there could be a 900,000 surplus by the autumn - half of which may have to be culled.

Crisis in Wales

Total confirmed cases in Wales - 97

Powys - 61 cases

Anglesey - 13 cases

Monmouthshire - 16 cases

Caerphilly 2

Rhondda Cynon Taff - 1

Neath Port Talbot -1

Newport - 3

The problem is due to a slump in lamb prices and the collapse of the export markets.

Meanwhile farmers are meeting at the Royal Welsh showground near Builth Wells in mid Wales on Wednesday to consider pressing the government for a vaccination programme to tackle the disease.

Wales normally exports just under two million lambs a year which is around 40% of the total produced.

But there has been no sign of that export trade resuming and a downturn in meat prices has added to the problem.

Vaccination

A number of proposals are now being considered, including a new sheep welfare disposal scheme and a government intervention system to buy up and store frozen carcasses.

Supermarkets, hospitals, the army and prisons are being urged to buy more Welsh lamb.

Meanwhile farmers are meeting experts and leading meat buyers to discuss whether or not they should urge the government to change its policy against vaccination.

But the Welsh Assembly has already insisted that such a policy would cause even more damage to our future export trade.

A mass vaccination of animals would mean livestock and meat exports would not be accepted in major markets.

Walkers are still restricted in Powys

Last month Westminister Rural Affairs Secretary Margaret Beckett said: "It is a simple fact that there are problems with vaccination, that it is not an easy answer.

"There isn't any easy answer.

"Before, during and after the election, we have continued to look at the issue of vaccination and if we feel the balance of argument has shifted ... we will take that into account."

Meanwhile in the Brecon Beacons in mid Wales preparations are under way for the testing of 10,000 sheep for signs of the virus.

Special pens are being built to hold the animals while blood tests are carried out.

The tests will determine whether or not the disease has spread to animals grazing on the mountains.

It is expected to be the biggest operations of its kind in Wales since the epidemic began.