A Foot and mouth outbreak at a Duchy of Cornwall farm on Dartmoor has prompted urgent checks of the local wildlife; for fear that free-range livestock are carrying the virus. Farmers commented that this is a “nightmare scenario.”
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The Devonshire National Park has been home to over 40,000 free-range cattle and sheep for generations, and if the devastating virus identified at the Dunna Bridge farm cannot be linked directly to other outbreaks over 20 miles away, then the animals will have to be culled.
Government vets admitted that is a “potential link” between the foot and mouth cases identified. Anthony Gibson, director of the South West regional NFU, added that it is possible that the virus spread on the wind, given the direction of the wind over the past week.
Prince Charles, whose Duchy of Cornwall estate owns the Dunna Bridge farm, commented: “It is an absolute nightmare … particularly as they have spent much of their lives building up a pedigree herd.”
Measures were suggested by David Hill, chairman of the Devon branch of the NFU, to prevent further spread, including placing troops on a one-mile radius around the farm to prevent livestock or wild animals moving freely.
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By GlobalDatajust-food.com published a feature on foot and mouth. To read it, click here.
