Farms complete first cull

The pre-emptive slaughter will take several weeks

The slaughter of 1,800 apparently healthy sheep on two Scottish farms has been completed.

The pre-emptive cull aimed at stamping out foot-and-mouth disease north of the border started on Saturday - in advance of similar steps planned in the rest of the UK.

Union leaders said Scotland's farmers backed the drastic measures, which will see the slaughter of 200,000 healthy sheep on Scottish farms.

Confirmed disease cases in Scotland

46 cases on 18 March

Lockerbie (8 cases)

Canonbie (9)

Gretna (10)

Lochmaben(2)

Twynholm

Langholm

Beattock

Corrie

Ruthwell (4)

Tundergarth

Moffat

Dalton (2)

Torthorward

Mouswald (2)

Creca

Hightae

But there have been concerns south of the border, with some farmers in Cumbria threatening "all out war" over the move.

Meanwhile, six further cases of the disease were confirmed in Dumfries and Galloway on Sunday - taking the Scottish toll to 46.

The new cases were at Mouswald, Lockerbie, Dalton, Hightae and two farms at Ruthwell.

All the confirmed outbreaks have been in the same region, where the pre-emptive slaughter is due to start early next week.

The Scottish cull got under way on Saturday at farms in Moray and Aberdeenshire which had links to an infected market.

The following day, the Scottish Executive confirmed: "Slaughter has been completed at the two farms and a total of about 1,800 sheep have been killed."

Infected farms

The spokesman added that culls were expected to take place at four farms in the Highlands early next week.

Apparently healthy sheep on 500 Scottish farms within 3km of infected farms will be culled - and 30 farms outside the 3km radius.

Of these 30 farms, 17 are in Dumfries and Galloway, one in Ayrshire, one in Aberdeenshire, six in the Highlands, four in the Borders and one in Renfrewshire.

The farms have flocks of sheep traced as having links with the infected Longtown market in Cumbria.

People talk about compensation, but money will not replace a lifetime's work

John Kinnaird, NFU Scotland

It has been estimated that the slaughter programme, which will take several weeks, could cost up to £20m.

Rural Affairs Minister Ross Finnie said the executive was "fairly confident" that all the animals linked to the market had been traced.

"The veterinary staff have done a magnificent job in tracing these animals," he said.

"We are reasonably confident, but it would be foolish to say with absolute certainty."

Mr Finnie admitted that all Scottish farmers were going through an "absolutely horrendous" experience.

But he added: "The people of Dumfries and Galloway have been absolutely magnificent. They have coped with a huge logistical exercise."

Ross Finnie paid tribute to farmers

John Kinnaird, vice-president of the National Farmers Union Scotland, told BBC Scotland's Eye-to-Eye programme that farmers were in "absolute despair" and undergoing a "terrible time".

But he said they backed the cull.

"They realise and understand the need for this cull and know it must be done as quickly as possible," he said.

"It is a very virulent disease and can be masked in sheep, that's why they need to be taken out in the cull."

Mr Kinnaird said he believed the pre-emptive cull would be successful in containing the disease to the only region affected.

Contain disease

He said: "We have to rely on veterinary and scientific advice and that's their best advice.

"At the moment they see it as the only means of trying to contain the disease and ultimately eradicate it."

He feared some farmers may go out of business, adding: "Many people will not restart, you are looking at a lifetime's work being destroyed and that's not something you can get over lightly.

"People talk about compensation, but money will not replace a lifetime's work."

Two Scottish farms have completed the cull

Some parts of the Scottish countryside have re-opened to the public, although landowners are asking people not to go near estates with livestock.

Mountaineers can now roam on the northern side of Ben Nevis and its sister mountains - but will be have to be disinfected before they are allowed to climb.

The Queen has also opened up parts of her Balmoral estate, including access to Lochnagar.

Meanwhile, Scottish National Party enterprise spokesman Kenny MacAskill has said he will be writing to Gordon Fenton, of the Committee of Scottish Clearing Banks, and Peter Williams, of the Council of Mortgage Lenders.

He is urging the financial institutions these bodies represent to give "sympathetic consideration" to all those hit by the foot-and-mouth crisis.