The NFU has told MPs that it had considered using ring vaccination to assist in controlling the spread of foot and mouth disease in Cumbria several weeks ago.
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NFU President Ben Gill told the Agriculture Select Committee inquiry into foot and mouth that this was when MAFF was struggling to cull infected farms within 24 hours of a case being reported and daily case numbers were continuing to increase.
A 24-hour cull limit was a key requirement according to epidemiologists if the spread of the disease was to be limited.
Government consulted the NFU on a proposal to vaccinate cattle in Cumbria and Devon in addition to the cull.
Ben Gill told the inquiry that it was only after prolonged discussions with Government and its scientific advisors that the NFU had rejected the proposals for vaccination.
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By GlobalDataHe told the inquiry this was because scientists were unable to give any firm confirmations about what would happen afterwards and there were too many unknowns to “gamble with the British livestock industry”.
These concerns included:
Vaccinated animals can replicate the virus, they can shed it, and they can infect other animals. This could prolong the outbreak and mean more animals would have to be culled overall.
Government could not currently guarantee that vaccinated animals might not be slaughtered at a later date if the EU authorities required it.
Given choice, UK customers might opt for non-vaccinated products to the detriment of meat and milk from vaccinated animals.
Ben Gill said: “We were being asked to take a leap into the dark.”
He said that the NFU considered the cull of infected premises and a 48-hour cull on contiguous farms remained vital.
He told the Committee that the NFU had issued management advice to farmers in Cumbria asking them to keep cattle housed for as long as possible and suggesting
bio-security measures that could be taken as they were turned out to minimise risk from the FMD virus.
Commenting on evidence given to the Select Committee earlier today by the Chief Scientist and leading epidemiologists, Ben Gill added: “Members of the Committee asked the Government’s advisors the very questions the NFU was asking several weeks ago.
“None of their answers have changed the NFU’s position, indeed they have reinforced it. Unless there is a substantial change in the course of the disease, vaccination is at best inappropriate for and at worst damaging to the UK livestock industry at this time.”
Although every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of the information provided in this document, the NFU cannot accept liability for errors and omissions. This information should not be regarded as constituting legal advice, and should therefore not be relied upon as such. NFU©
