Irish livestock with Schmallenberg virus-type symptoms have been found free of the disease, in negative tests of 48 samples.

Ireland and Russia today banned imports of British poultry and eggs, and farmers elsewhere in Europe took steps to shield their flocks from the possible spread of deadly bird flu from an infected British turkey farm.

Russia has told the European Union it intends to ban all animal product imports from the EU from January 1 because Moscow claims new members Bulgaria and Romania have poor animal health standards, the European Commission said today.