Livestock movement extended

The announcement means more animals can be moved

The Government has announced changes to the restrictions on the movement of animals around Wales.

The new guidelines will apply mainly to areas free of the disease and will allow farmers to move animals for commercial as well as welfare reasons.

Crisis so far

Total confirmed cases UK-wide 1,960 - with 118 in Wales

Powys - 78

Anglesey - 13

Monmouthshire - 20

Caerphilly - 2

Rhondda Cynon Taff - 1

Neath Port Talbot -1

Newport - 3

It means that most of Wales - outside the infected areas which are centred around the Brecon Beacons in mid Wales - can now take a step to recovery.

The development comes as Graziers in the Beacons consider taking legal action after they claim sheep were slaughtered without their permission.

Around 200 more sheep were slaughtered on Monday after earlier straying from a flock earmarked for cull into a neighbouring flock near Talybont-on-Usk.

Welsh Rural Affairs Minister Carwyn Jones said the cull had gone ahead with farmers' co-operation, but grazier Stephen Brychan, who lost 40 sheep in the latest slaughter, said they had not given consent.

Animals cannot now come from areas at risk to north Wales and that will benefit us in keeping the disease away

Bob Parry, NFU president

"They did not have our consent," he said. "We gathered the animals for testing but we made it clear we did not want healthy animals slaughtered.

"We are considering taking legal action because of the way this has been handled."

Meanwhile the announcement on Tuesday means farmers can now move livestock around their land in time for winter grazing and transport to other parts of the UK for slaughter or private sale.

It is a move which has been welcomed by some farming leaders.

President of the Farmers Union of Wales Bob Parry said: "I believe it is the right decision because there is not a lot of difference in fact it will be tighter to bring animals in.

Livestock markets will remain closed

"Animals cannot now come from areas at risk to north Wales and that will benefit us in keeping the disease away."

Although some movement restriction have eased, livestock markets will not restart immediately.

The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) has described the announcement as as "extension rather than a relaxation of the rules".

It has announced that disease-free counties will be able to move livestock to other disease-free areas over a 250 mile radius, from 17 Sept.

Infected areas

At risk areas, like Anglesey in north Wales, will also be able to move cattle and pigs and blood-tested sheep to other at risk areas from the over the same radius.

High risk areas will be able to move stock within the same high risk area subject to blood tests, but will not be able to move them outside the areas.

However no movement will be allowed to or from infected areas.

The ban on livestock auctions will remain this autumn but store cattle will be allowed to move through collection centres to a single pre-arranged destination.