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| On Thu, 21 Sep 2006 14:24:46 +0100, "Pat Gardiner"
<patgardiner@btinternet.com> wrote:
>Botulism breaks out at four farms
>
>Four farms on the Devon and Somerset border are being investigated after a
>suspected botulism outbreak.
>
>It is believed that up to 40 cattle have died as a result of the infection
>in the Hemyock area.
>
>Steps are being taken to contain the illness, which affects the muscles and
>causes lameness and poor coordination in the animals.
>
>A spokeswoman for Defra said the source of the outbreak appears to have been
>poultry litter sold to the farms.
>
>Isolated outbreak
>
>"We believe the poultry litter was sold to a number of farms in the area for
>manure and that it contained dead chicken carcasses," she said.
>
>"The Food Standards Agency (FSA) has ensured that there is no risk to human
>health in this particular instance, because no milk from the infected cows
>went into the human food chain."
>
>John Dole, from the National Farmers Union, said he believed 40 cows had
>died so far.
>
>"Accidents do happen, even with the best will in the world, but I would
>assess it's a totally isolated outbreak," he said.
Where have we heard that before!
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