Further Reading (Brucellosis)
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Cull planned as cattle disease returns
Robert Uhlig, Farming Correspondent
Daily Telegraph
Friday 21 February 2003
(Filed: 21/02/2003)
Several hundred cattle are to be slaughtered and
emergency restrictions have been placed around at least six herds
in the north of England and Scotland after an outbreak of bovine
brucellosis.
Although not as contagious as foot and mouth,
brucellosis is a serious and notifiable bacterial disease that can
be passed on to humans, in whom it causes recurrent or chronic fever.
Human infection is usually caused by consumption
of unpasteurised dairy products or following direct contact with
infected animals.
Brucellosis has not occurred in Britain since
1993. For humans, there is no risk from pasteurised milk, cooked
meat or contact with pasteurised animal products.
The Department for Environment, Food and Rural
Affairs said yesterday that two animals on a farm near Middlesbrough,
imported from Ireland in September, had tested positive for the
disease and would be culled. All other animals on the farm are under
movement restriction.
Another cow, from the same herd imported from
Ireland, but now on a farm in Scotland has also tested positive
and will be culled.
In June, a consignment of 36 heifers was imported
to Scotland from Ireland. All were blood tested on arrival and 60
days after import. Now spread across five farms in Scotland, they
all tested negative on both occasions.
But after spontaneous abortions by two of the
cows, both on a farm in the Forfar area of Angus, all 36 animals,
the herds they came from and any other animals they came into contact
with will be culled. Defra said at least 200 animals would be slaughtered.
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