Ban at 'worst time' for farmers

The disease was discovered on a farm in Egham, Surrey

Restrictions on animal movements following the foot-and-mouth disease outbreak in Surrey could not have come at a worse time, farmers have said.

Herefordshire farmer Dave Morgan said September is the busiest month for moving sheep breeding stock around.

Mr Morgan, chairman of the West Midlands Livestock Board, said farmers could not even move livestock across a road on their own farm.

Restrictions for animals being taken to slaughter were lifted on Sunday.

The movement ban was put in place across Britain when a case of the disease was discovered in cattle on land in Egham last Wednesday.

Ram movement

Farmers in England were allowed to take livestock to slaughter from midnight on Saturday, as foot-and-mouth crisis rules were relaxed.

But Mr Morgan, whose farm is in Peterchurch, said although this was good news there were still problems, particularly concerning breeding.

"This is the month when the vast majority of breeding stock movements take place," he said.

He said farmers were restricted from moving animals on their farms.

"All this relaxation will allow is the animals to move from their actual farm or their field to a slaughterhouse, via perhaps a slaughter market.

Farmers' criticism

"What this won't allow is producers to move livestock within their own holdings where they have to cross a road."

He said this restriction would effect the movement of rams who needed to be put with ewes for breeding.

There has also been some criticism from farmers in Herefordshire and Worcestershire about how some restrictions were removed later in England than the rest of Britain.

Farmers in Scotland and Wales have been able to take their animals to slaughter since Thursday.