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Pigs are clear of foot-and-mouth Pigs are clear of foot-and-mouth
(30 minutes later)
Samples taken from pigs at an abattoir in Northern Ireland are clear of foot-and-mouth disease, the Department of Agriculture has said.Samples taken from pigs at an abattoir in Northern Ireland are clear of foot-and-mouth disease, the Department of Agriculture has said.
The chief veterinary officer revealed foot lesions were detected on Monday at the facililty in County Antrim. Chief Veterinary Officer Bert Houston revealed foot lesions were detected on Monday on animals at a County Antrim abattoir.
They were sent for testing to the Institute of Animal Health. Mr Houston said the results ruled out suspicion of foot-and-mouth disease as well as swine vesicular disease.
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. "We picked up this suspect case as part of routine surveillance," he said.
Precautionary measure "We expect to have cases like this from time to time and this shows our alert systems are operating effectively."
Chief Veterinary Officer Bert Houston said movement restrictions and other measures were imposed both at the abattoir and the site where the pigs had originated. Movement restrictions are being lifted on the abattoir and the farm in County Down following the negative test results.
In a statement, he said routine surveillance at the abattoir had detected foot lesions in a number of pigs presented for slaughter. The testing took place at the Institute of Animal Health.
"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," he said. "Good bio-security is a best line of defence for these diseases and I would like to thank the abattoir and the farm concerned for their vigilance and co-operation on this issue," Mr Houston added.
Foot-and-mouth arrived in Northern Ireland in 2001 through sheep with four outbreak sites eventually identified. More than 50,000 animals were culled in Northern Ireland during the 2001 outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease, most of them sheep and £7.5m was paid to Northern Ireland farmers in compensation.
Across the UK, the 2001 outbreak led to the slaughter of 6.5m animals and is thought to have cost the UK economy £8bn.Across the UK, the 2001 outbreak led to the slaughter of 6.5m animals and is thought to have cost the UK economy £8bn.