Foot and Mouth

 

Just as our country was getting over BSE and the consumers were again confident of eating British beef the farming industry has suffered another set back. Yes this is foot and mouth.

 

On the (date) A farmer in (county) discovered his worst nightmare. He realised that his pigs were unusually ill. They had sores on their feet and were slobbering from the mouth. Later on in the week, after cross examination it was confirmed it was back. Yes after …. Years foot and mouth has returned back to Britain.

 

At the present moment our country is in crisis, with thousands of animals being slaughtered to prevent the spread of the terrible disease.

 

Being a farmer’s son myself, I know haw worried all the farmers are at the moment. They are all hoping that they don’t contract the disease in their herds of cattle, pigs or sheep, knowing the consequences, which is in the long term having their lively hood taken from them.

 

At our farm in Cheshire we are taking extreme precautions to ensure that our farm is free of disease. We have placed down straw, covered in disinfectant, that each vehicle entering the premises must pass. Upon entering the premises the wheels and wheel arches of the car, etc are sprayed and each individual then has to dip there feet in disinfectant.

 

With the numbers of foot and mouth cases rising each day we have no idea when the epidemic will be under control. The country is now questioning whether the government has coped? Should they have started the mass slaughtering on healthy sooner?

 

When will it all end is the question on everyone’s mind at the moment, we just don’t know. All we can do is hope for the best.

 

By Mark Hopley