Animal slaughter ban set to ease

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The ban on the movement of cattle and sheep to abattoirs imposed after the foot-and-mouth outbreak is to be lifted, Defra has said.

Animals will be able to go to slaughter from midnight on 23 August provided there is no change in the level of disease risk.

Farmers' leaders said the industry would be "delighted" at the news.

Continued vigilance at abattoirs was of "critical importance", they added, after the outbreak earlier this month.

Animals will be able to go to collection centres, where they are sorted for size before going to abattoirs, and to slaughter sales where buyers bid for animals on behalf of an abattoir.

Chief veterinary officer Debby Reynolds said: "These plans form the next step in our ongoing risk-based, staged approach to movement controls.

"Collection centres and direct-to-slaughter sales will be able to commence from midnight on Wednesday, operating from Thursday 23 August, providing there is no alteration to the level of risk."

'Orderly marketing'

Leaders from a number of farming bodies, such as the National Farmers' Union, National Beef Association and National Sheep Association, reacted positively to the easing of restrictions.

They said: "We have been working in partnership with Defra at the highest level and believe that the industry will be delighted with the introduction of these new measures which will help the orderly marketing of stock until normal movements can take place."

The national movement ban, including that of livestock to market, remains in place.

There are other exceptions which allow animals to moved for welfare reasons, such as calving.

Foot-and-mouth was confirmed in a herd of cattle at Woolford Farm in Surrey on 3 August.

A second case, at a farm nearby, was confirmed on 7 August.

Protection and surveillance zones around these farms remain in place.

Tests on two other farms, one in Surrey and one Kent, and on animals at Chessington World of Adventures in Surrey, all proved negative.