Finnie plea for disease vigilance

Farmers have been urged to remain alert

Rural Affairs Minister Ross Finnie has pledged that the Scottish Executive will continue to carry the fight against foot-and-mouth until the disease has been eradicated completely.

The minister's statement came after another case was confirmed in the Scottish Borders.

The diagnosis, by clinical inspection, was made on Thursday morning at Sisterpath Farm in Duns.

A further suspected case is being investigated at Castlewood Farm, near Jedburgh. The animals there are being slaughtered as a precaution.

Ross Finnie: Praised farmers for their sacrifices

The confirmed outbreak at Sisterpath Farm in Duns is next door to Cothill farm, where the first case of the disease in Scotland for nine days was confirmed on Tuesday.

The new case brings the Scottish total to 186 and came as Mr Finnie addressed the Scottish Parliament on the current state of the outbreak.

It means that stock on farms within a 3km radius of both farms will be monitored every two days for the next fortnight.

In his statement to the parliament, Mr Finnie called on farmers and landowners to take down some of their "Keep Out" signs in areas not affected by the disease.

Mr Finnie, who also announced plans to further relax movement restrictions, said that Scotland, north of the Forth Clyde line, had remained free of the disease.

He said that the difficulty lay in relaxing the guard in the Borders and Dumfries and Galloway, where there remained a risk of a further outbreak.

Pig swill ban

Mr Finnie said: "The overall situation, I think, remains one of improvement. Various factors including the good weather have contributed to this.

"I am in no doubt that the one principle reason for the swift tailing off of the disease is the rigorous application of the culling policy in Scotland.

"This has been extremely effective in preventing further disease spread. The aim of the pre-emptive cull of sheep in particular, was to prevent an upsurge in new outbreaks - particularly when cattle where put out to grass.

"I recognised that it involved tough decisions but I believe that it has been successful."

It is hoped another widespread cull will not be necessary

The minister added that the sacrifices made by farmers north of the border should not be underestimated nor forgotten.

A ban is to be imposed on the feeding of pig swill in Scotland.

Banning swill, which is derived from catering waste containing meat, poultry and fish, is in line with parallel action taken in the rest of the UK.

It is based on the advice of the government's veterinary officers and follows consultation with the farming industry.

The National Farmers' Union of Scotland earlier warned people not to drop their guard against the disease.

It said the new cases showed there could be no complacency in the fight against the disease.