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| Version 0 | Version 1 |
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| Tests on pigs for foot-and-mouth | Tests on pigs for foot-and-mouth |
| (10 minutes later) | |
| Samples taken from pigs at an abattoir in Northern Ireland are being tested for foot-and-mouth disease. | |
| The chief veterinary officer revealed foot lesions were detected on Monday at the facililty in County Antrim. | The chief veterinary officer revealed foot lesions were detected on Monday at the facililty in County Antrim. |
| They have now been sent for testing to the Institute of Animal Health with initial results expected on Tuesday. | They have now been sent for testing to the Institute of Animal Health with initial results expected on Tuesday. |
| More than 50,000 animals were culled in the 2001 outbreak, most of them sheep and £7.5m was paid to Northern Ireland farmers in compensation. | More than 50,000 animals were culled in the 2001 outbreak, most of them sheep and £7.5m was paid to Northern Ireland farmers in compensation. |
| Precautionary measure | |
| Chief Veterinary Officer Bert Houston said movement restrictions and other measures had been imposed both at the abattoir and the site where the pigs had originated. | |
| In a statement he said: "As part of routine surveillance at an abattoir in County Antrim, foot lesions were detected in a number of pigs presented for slaughter. | |
| "As a precautionary measure samples have been taken and are being sent to the Institute for Animal Health in England for testing for foot-and-mouth disease and swine vesicular disease." | |
| Foot-and-mouth arrived in Northern Ireland in 2001 through sheep with four outbreak sites eventually identified. | |
| Across the UK the 2001 outbreak led to the slaughter of 6.5m animals and is thought to have cost the UK economy £8bn. |