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| Farm slaughter restrictions eased | Farm slaughter restrictions eased |
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| Farmers in England will be allowed to take livestock to slaughter from midnight on Saturday. | Farmers in England will be allowed to take livestock to slaughter from midnight on Saturday. |
| There has been a relaxation of rules following the latest foot-and-mouth outbreak in Surrey, chief veterinary officer Debby Reynolds said. | There has been a relaxation of rules following the latest foot-and-mouth outbreak in Surrey, chief veterinary officer Debby Reynolds said. |
| Farmers in Scotland and Wales have been able to take their animals to slaughter since Thursday. | Farmers in Scotland and Wales have been able to take their animals to slaughter since Thursday. |
| However, livestock can still not be traded or moved for any other reason. Northern Ireland is not affected. | However, livestock can still not be traded or moved for any other reason. Northern Ireland is not affected. |
| 'Proportionate response' | 'Proportionate response' |
| The lifting of the restriction applies only to animals outside the surveillance zone currently imposed around the infected premises in Surrey. | The lifting of the restriction applies only to animals outside the surveillance zone currently imposed around the infected premises in Surrey. |
| A 3km (1.8-mile) protection zone has been set up around the farming land, with a 10km (6.2-mile) surveillance zone encircling it. | A 3km (1.8-mile) protection zone has been set up around the farming land, with a 10km (6.2-mile) surveillance zone encircling it. |
| Zones are imposed around places where outbreaks have been confirmed and related sitesEnlarge Map | Zones are imposed around places where outbreaks have been confirmed and related sitesEnlarge Map |
| From midnight, a general license will be issued that will allow: | From midnight, a general license will be issued that will allow: |
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| Dr Reynolds said: "We continue to take a risk-based, staged approach to movement controls. | Dr Reynolds said: "We continue to take a risk-based, staged approach to movement controls. |
| "It is essential that all animal keepers, hauliers, abattoirs and those responsible for collection centres follow stringent bio-security measures and all licence conditions." | "It is essential that all animal keepers, hauliers, abattoirs and those responsible for collection centres follow stringent bio-security measures and all licence conditions." |
| Move welcomed | Move welcomed |
| The core group from the farming industry working with Defra, which include livestock, veterinary, and auctioneer associations, said: "The group welcomes this important development. | The core group from the farming industry working with Defra, which include livestock, veterinary, and auctioneer associations, said: "The group welcomes this important development. |
| WHY IS THE VIRUS BACK? The foot-and-mouth virus is less symptomatic in sheep so an infection from the first outbreak could have been overlookedThe virus can survive in soil for up to 28 daysIt can also survive in water for up to 50 daysFoot-and-mouth can also linger in hay and straw for up to 20 weeksIt could be a new strain of the virus, but experts say this is unlikely | WHY IS THE VIRUS BACK? The foot-and-mouth virus is less symptomatic in sheep so an infection from the first outbreak could have been overlookedThe virus can survive in soil for up to 28 daysIt can also survive in water for up to 50 daysFoot-and-mouth can also linger in hay and straw for up to 20 weeksIt could be a new strain of the virus, but experts say this is unlikely |
| "We believe that the fact this decision can be made demonstrates the experience gained during the past few weeks and the readiness of Defra to respond to disease risk." | "We believe that the fact this decision can be made demonstrates the experience gained during the past few weeks and the readiness of Defra to respond to disease risk." |
| Kevin Pearce, chief livestock advisor to the National Farmers' Union, told BBC News 24: "The risk here is very low and the vets and epidemiologists would have thought of this very carefully. | Kevin Pearce, chief livestock advisor to the National Farmers' Union, told BBC News 24: "The risk here is very low and the vets and epidemiologists would have thought of this very carefully. |
| "The animals are not going anywhere other than to a slaughter house to be slaughtered...we are still nowhere near trading. | "The animals are not going anywhere other than to a slaughter house to be slaughtered...we are still nowhere near trading. |
| "These animals are going in one direction and there is no chance of them coming back home to spread disease." | "These animals are going in one direction and there is no chance of them coming back home to spread disease." |
| Mr Pearce said there were hopes that processing plants would be up and running, and taking the pressure off farms, by early next week. | Mr Pearce said there were hopes that processing plants would be up and running, and taking the pressure off farms, by early next week. |
| Signs vandalised | Signs vandalised |
| Estimates of the cost of the latest outbreak have been put at £10m a day. | |
| There were also some reports that closure signs on footpaths around farms affected by the outbreak had been torn down. | There were also some reports that closure signs on footpaths around farms affected by the outbreak had been torn down. |
| The Ramblers' Association (RA) roundly condemned the vandalism. | The Ramblers' Association (RA) roundly condemned the vandalism. |
| Kate Ashbrook, chairman of the RA, said: "It is disappointing to hear that people are vandalising signs when co-operation is very much needed to eradicate this terrible disease". | Kate Ashbrook, chairman of the RA, said: "It is disappointing to hear that people are vandalising signs when co-operation is very much needed to eradicate this terrible disease". |
| Nearly 1,000 slaughtered | Nearly 1,000 slaughtered |
| The movement ban was put in place across Britain when another case of foot-and-mouth disease was discovered in cattle on land in Egham on Wednesday. | The movement ban was put in place across Britain when another case of foot-and-mouth disease was discovered in cattle on land in Egham on Wednesday. |
| In what the Welsh Rural Affairs Minister Elin Jones described as a "proportionate" response, Wales and Scotland later eased the restrictions to allow farmers to take their animals directly to slaughter. | In what the Welsh Rural Affairs Minister Elin Jones described as a "proportionate" response, Wales and Scotland later eased the restrictions to allow farmers to take their animals directly to slaughter. |
| Department of Environment sources say a total of 940 cattle and pigs have been culled so far in the latest outbreak. | Department of Environment sources say a total of 940 cattle and pigs have been culled so far in the latest outbreak. |
| Laboratory results have established the virus found at the latest outbreak in Surrey is the same strain as that connected with the Pirbright laboratory site. | Laboratory results have established the virus found at the latest outbreak in Surrey is the same strain as that connected with the Pirbright laboratory site. |
| The discovery brought the total number of farms where the disease has been found in 2007 to four. | The discovery brought the total number of farms where the disease has been found in 2007 to four. |