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Friday, 21 September, 2001, 11:17 GMT 12:17 UK

Farm disease tests negative

Vets have culled 120 sheep at a farm near Dursley

Tests for foot-and-mouth on sheep slaughtered at a farm in Gloucestershire have so far proved negative.

More than 100 sheep were culled at the farm, near Dursley amid fears of the first outbreak of the disease in five months.

The good news is test one has come back negative
Defra spokesman

Results of a second set of tests are expected early next week, officials from the Department for Environment, Food and Rural affairs (Defra) said on Friday.

But a spokesman said: "The good news is test one has come back negative."

All movement licences within a 10 kilometre radius of the farm have been cancelled until further notice.

The last confirmed case in Gloucestershire was in St Briavels in April.

Disease in the UK
Total cases: 2,014
Slaughtered: 3,879,000
Awaiting slaughter: 5,000
Awaiting disposal: 1,000

But since then 85% of the countryside has reopened.

Previously, the county had been one of the worst affected regions in the UK.

Thousands of the animals which contracted the disease came from the Forest of Dean, where sheep are traditionally allowed to roam freely.

The latest cull came after a farmer found one animal which had a temperature and sores in its mouth - symptoms of foot-and-mouth.

Farmers in the county had expected disease restrictions to be lifted as early as next week, but that decision has now been delayed.

There were 76 confirmed outbreaks in Gloucestershire.

Related to this story:
Ramblers return to the moors (19 Sep 01 | UK) Disease restrictions lifted at farms (18 Sep 01 | UK) Cumbria on fresh foot-and-mouth alert (16 Sep 01 | UK) New disease rules for autumn (11 Sep 01 | UK) Fresh calls for farm virus vaccination (07 Sep 01 | Glasgow 2001) More disease outbreaks 'likely' (06 Sep 01 | UK)

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