Animals burned on NI disease farms

Restrictions in place as animals are incinerated

Hundreds of animals on farms at the centre of Northern Ireland's two current foot-and-mouth outbreaks have been incinerated.

The move on Tuesday follows the cull of animals at the farms at Ardboe, County Tyrone, and Cushendall, County Antrim.

Northern Ireland Agriculture Minister Brid Rodgers said preliminary tests on a foot-and-mouth "hot suspect" at Ardboe had proved negative while another "hot suspect" at Cushendall had been downgraded.

She was speaking after a meeting with Northern Ireland's two main farming unions at Stormont on Tuesday morning.

'Pre-emptive'

Mrs Rodgers said there would be a "pre-emptive" slaughter of animals in the areas surrounding the farms at Ardboe and Cushendall where the disease was found.

"We are also carrying out extensive clinical examinations and blood testing in the 10 kilometre zones around the outbreaks," she said.

Brid Rodgers: Angry over animal movements

She also expressed concern that farmers were moving animals illegally.

"I continue to receive daily reports of farmers moving livestock without licences.

"Every farmer, no matter where he lives in Northern Ireland, must assume there are infected livestock next door."

Concerns over sheep

The minister appealed to farmers not to allow cattle and sheep to mix.

She said any farmer who keeps both must inspect the cattle first.

There are fears that there have been infected sheep in Northern Ireland for some time.

Sheep can only show symptoms of the disease for a short time, making it harder to identify.

Canon Harry Moore: We will bounce back

A support group has been set up to help farmers and the Ardboe community through the crisis.

Group chairman Canon Harry Moore said people were despondent but resilient and would bounce back.

"There will be life after foot-and-mouth," he said.

"It is a problem at the moment - a problem that not only have repercussions for the farming industry, but for the other industries connected to it.

"But it is something that we will get over. It is a very hopeful time of year and if we didn't have hope, we wouldn't be in business at all," Canon Moore said.

Tourism affected

The outbreak in Cushendall is already taking its toll on tourism in the area.

North Antrim boasts Northern Ireland's greatest tourist attractions, including the Giant's Causeway and the Glens of Antrim.

Some bus services in the Cushendall area have also been cancelled.

Guest house owner Oliver McMullan said he had 30 cancellations this week.

We will continue to keep it under review, bearing in mind a large number of our members come from the farming and rural community

The Orange Order's Denis Watson

Mr McMullan, who is also a local councillor and farmer said: "It is devastating for the tourism trade and it goes right through the whole community."

Meanwhile, the Orange Order has said its demonstrations on 12 July are going ahead.

Thousands of Orangemen attend the demonstrations for the "Twelfth" each year.

Leading Orangeman and Northern Ireland Assembly member Denis Watson said the organisation would be watching closely for developments in the foot-and-mouth crisis.

He said: "We will continue to keep it under review, bearing in mind a large number of our members come from the farming and rural community.

"We do sympathise with people who have been affected in recent days and we do hope there will be no further outbreaks in the province."

A planned cull of animals at a farm in County Armagh where a foot-and-mouth suspect was found on Tuesday has been called off.

It is understood the symptoms are not giving veterinary officials too much cause for concern.

The Department of Agriculture can be contacted on its helpline numbers on 02890 524279 or 02890 524590 between 0830 - 2100 GMT.