Farmers urged to back vaccination

Scientists think vaccination could save cattle

The government is intensifying its drive to persuade farmers that a limited vaccination programme is the best way to save thousands of cattle from foot-and-mouth.

Scientists are looking for "a significant buy-in" from farmers and are spending Wednesday conducting more talks with them.

Chief scientific adviser Professor David King said the support of just 10% of farmers would be "useless", and he would be much happier if "more than 60%" of farmers supported the policy.

It is quite clear from the discussions so far that the support from farmers is not currently there

Downing Street

Downing Street has said the government accepts a limited vaccination programme "in principle", while scientists believe it could save 100,000 animals.

The government's chief vet Jim Scudamore and Prof King have advised that vaccinating cattle in Cumbria, and possibly Devon, is "justified as a means of protecting those animals".

But the National Farmers' Union has made it clear it is not yet convinced about its merits.

Co-operation needed

Prof King said: "It is better to have a farmer who agrees to vaccination. It is facilitated better that way.

"We need the co-operation of the farming community."

Chief veterinary officer Jim Scudamore explained his "change of heart" to a regional vaccination programme.

Crisis in the UK

Cases on Tuesday: 21

Total confirmed cases: 1,366

541,000 animals awaiting slaughter

400,000 carcasses awaiting disposal

He said when the outbreak was first discovered the government had chosen a policy of removing animals and dangerous contact.

"We never actually ruled out vaccination completely," he said.

"Vaccination was ruled out at the beginning because we had a clear stamping out policy, it has a number of advantages in certain circumstances."

Common vaccines

Sir John Krebs, chairman of the Food Standards Agency, has advised Maff that meat and dairy products from vaccinated livestock could safely enter the food chain with no harmful effect on humans.

He said there were already 33 vaccines commonly used in Britain to prevent livestock contracting common conditions as diverse as digestive diseases and fevers.

William Moyes of the British Retail Consortium told BBC News: "So long as the advice remains from the Food Standards Agency and from the government's scientific advisors that there is absolutely no threat to human health - and that is the advice - supermarkets have told the government that they will stock milk and dairy products from vaccinated animals."

But he added that retailers would have to review this policy if shoppers failed to buy the products.

"The key consideration is customers' confidence," Mr Moyes concluded.

'Dampen down'

Vaccination can protect animals and "dampen down" the disease and reduce the number of carcasses to deal with, Mr Scudamore said.

Prof King: Vaccination would reduce slaughter and numbers of carcasses

North Cumbria Health Authority has already called for further incineration of animal carcasses to be postponed until national guidance based on risk assessment becomes available.

Authority chief executive Robin MacLeod said: "Maff has agreed in the interim not to light any pyres anywhere in North Cumbria until our public health department supports it."

But Mr Scudamore warned: "If we went for national vaccination we would have to prove disease-free status.

Slaughter continues

"It is different on a local level. If we vaccinate we would have to demonstrate that we don't have disease circulating," he said.

Prof King maintained that slaughter would continue, with vaccination used a "supplementary" measure to combat the disease.

"The current cull policy is still our policy for dealing with the epidemic," he said.

"[Limited vaccination] would significantly reduce the number of cattle which would need to be slaughtered."

A third case has been confirmed in Northern Ireland

Prof King said the proposed scheme would have "clear financial and environmental advantages" but that the support of farmers was vital.

Maff confirmed it was seeking to recruit contractors to carry out vaccinations, as a "contingency" measure.

Meanwhile, a 21-strong group of US, Canadian and Japanese travel representatives have started a four-day tour of the UK organised by the British Tourist Authority in a bid to quash misconceptions about the disease.

And ministers on the Isle of Man are meeting to decide whether to cancel the annual TT motorbike races - the island's biggest tourist event - amid fears foot-and-mouth could be spread to the island which is home to rare Laoghtan sheep.