Coughlan pleased British samples prove negative

IT was a relief that initial test results for samples taken from another cattle herd in Surrey on Thursday night were negative for foot and mouth disease, Agriculture and Food Minister Mary Coughlan said yesterday.

But she said a positive result would not have warranted further control measures here.

Ms Coughlan said she had been in contact with her officials late the previous night and they had been maintaining very close contact with colleagues in London and Belfast ahead of confirmation of the negative test results yesterday.

She said prompt action by the Department of the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs in Britain demonstrated the seriousness with which they were treating each suspect case.

It also clearly illustrated the need for everybody, both in Britain and in Ireland, to remain on high alert.

There was a necessity for farmers to remain vigilant and to check the well-being of their stock regularly and to report to the Department of Agriculture and Food any signs that might suggest foot and mouth disease.

Ms Coughlan said yesterday’s meeting of her department’s National Disease Control Centre Management Committee considered an interim epidemiology report published by the British department.

She welcomed the view of Britain’s chief veterinary officer Debbie Reynolds that the infection may be contained in the Surrey area.

Ms Coughlan confirmed her department had published updated bio-security advice for the organisers of agricultural, livestock and horse shows, marts andother such events.

She urged all concerned to apply proper biosecurity measures and, in particular, to ensure adequate cleaning and disinfection.

The minister said herdepartment would be contacting show organisers and checking to ensure existing bio-security measures were satisfactory at marts andassembly centres.