Disease fears prompt new sheep cull

Sheep were slaughtered and blood samples were taken

Welsh Assembly officials are investigating a fresh suspected case of foot-and-mouth disease after animals were slaughtered in a precautionary measure.

Blood samples have been sent for testing from a farm in Battle near Brecon, Powys, and a flock of 140 sheep has been slaughtered after an three or four of the animals were found with signs of the disease around their mouths.

Brecon has been gripped by the disease

Epidemiologists gave the all clear to a farm in Monmouthshire which last week became the latest suspect case when sheep from the premises were slaughtered at Ross-on-Wye Livestock Market.

Officials from the Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs ordered the killing of 170 animals from the premises which had shown symptoms of foot-and-mouth in Ross-on-Wye Livestock Market.

Blood samples taken from the sheep across the border were returned negative, however.

'High risk'

The last time a confirmed case of foot and mouth disease was found in Wales was on 12 August, in cattle on a farm in Llangenny, Crickhowell.

The county of Powys has borne the brunt Wales's foot-and-mouth tally with 78 of the country's 118 cases and has seen almost 15,000 sheep culled.

Crisis in Wales

Total confirmed cases UK-wide 2,013 - with 118 in Wales

Powys - 78 cases

Anglesey - 13 cases

Monmouthshire - 21 cases

Caerphilly - 2

Rhondda Cynon Taff - 1

Neath Port Talbot -1

Newport - 3

Southern Powys is still deemed at "high risk" by Defra, but the northern half of the county had its status dropped to "at risk" by the department in September.

The change has allowed some movement of animals to nevertheless frustrated farmers.

If the case now under investigation proves positive, it could be a new blow to farmers in the area because it is near to the last confirmed outbreak.

It could join the dots between positive foot-and-mouth incidents in the area.