Rogers to write to North's sheep farmers

The North's Agriculture Minister is to write to all sheep farmers asking them for information about the illegal transportation of livestock during the foot-and-mouth crisis.

Speaking to an emergency meeting of the Stormont agriculture committee, Brid Rogers said it is imperative the movements of all sheep were tracked down.

She said the disease had probably been spread in the North by sheep showing little or no symptoms of the disease.

The North's Agriculture Ministry is also to take on extra vets from the private sector to allow for more and faster testing.

She added that the search is on for a site suitable for the mass burying of culled animals if this became necessary.