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| On Fri, 22 Sep 2006 10:29:43 +0100, "Pat Gardiner"
<patgardiner@btinternet.com> wrote:
>Pat's Note Movements of livestock, yet again
>
>
>http://business.scotsman.com/agricu...m?id=1398972006
>
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>Scotland's worst TB outbreak confirmed
>
>
>FORDYCE MAXWELL
>
>MORE than 70 cattle on a dairy farm near Gretna are to be slaughtered after
>confirmation of Scotland's biggest bovine TB outbreak.
>
>Cattle movements on five farms neighbouring (contiguous to) West Scales,
>Rigg, are also at a standstill until all animals on them can be tested and
>the results are known.
>
>The infection was first suspected on 4 August after lesions were found on
>four carcases at a Kilmarnock slaughterhouse, but confirmatory blood tests
>were then necessary.
>
>An Executive spokeswoman said yesterday that a time-scale of several weeks
>was normal for these tests, there was no risk to human health and no cattle
>movements had been allowed from the affected farm since 4 August.
>
>Tests have revealed a further 60 positive reactors and 11 inconclusive
>reactors in the "flying" herd of 270 cattle run by Neil Conaghan. In a
>"flying" herd, replacements are bought in as freshly-calved heifers or cows,
>not bred and reared on farm.
>
>Conaghan said yesterday that he was co-operating fully with the state
>veterinary service. He added: "This is a difficult time for me and this farm
>and we are working actively to control the disease. It is important we are
>allowed to focus on this."
>
>All reactors will be slaughtered within days with market-value compensation
>paid. State vets and the Executive believe that detecting TB in the carcases
>"highlights the importance of good slaughterhouse TB surveillance" as a
>supplement to on-farm testing.
>
>And the case is only the 11th in Scotland this year - 13 last year -
>compared with 1,100 so far in England and Wales this year and more than
>2,000 outbreaks in those countries in 2005.
>
>But the number involved at West Scales emphasises the importance of pre-and
>post-movement TB testing for all bought-in dairy cattle said James Withers
>of NFU Scotland last night.
>
>He said: "Executive officials have confirmed that neighbouring farms, which
>are subject to automatic movement restrictions, are being contacted
>immediately.
>
>"This is traditionally the busiest time of year for livestock farms so it is
>critical that the neighbouring units have a clear timetable of when vets
>will be able to carry out the necessary tests and lift restrictions. "
>
>Withers added: "Any TB case is of huge concern to the individual farmer
>involved and the neighbouring units, even though the number of TB cases in
>Scotland remains extremely low compared with England."
>
>TB is caused by various species of mycobacteria. Cases of bovine TB in
>humans are rare and usually only found in people who caught it abroad or
>elderly people, who probably caught it from drinking milk before
>pasteurisation was introduced.
>
>In Scotland, the sale of unpasteurised cow's milk has been prohibited since
>1983.
>
>. About 40 cattle have died following a suspected outbreak of botulism on
>four farms on the east Devon/Somerset border. Voluntary cattle movement
>restrictions are now in place.
>
>An apparent link with chicken manure sold to the farms is being investigated
>by Devon County Council trading standards department.
>
>This article: http://business.scotsman.com/agricu...m?id=1398972006
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