Farmers warned to be vigilant

Meanwhile they have been warned to be vigilant because the incubation period for the devastating virus is 21 days.

Neil Smith of Nutbrown Farm in Hooe this week said the outlook was good but that farmers should remain on their guard.

"I would not relax - not yet. It is not over.

"It appears to be safe but with foot-and-mouth you can never be sure."

He has 130 cattle on his farm plus approximately 200 sheep including ewes and lambs.

"In a month's time everyone would be happier," he told the Observer.

"But it is extremely embarrassing for the Government for them to have caused it, or the laboratory - one or the other has done this.

"It is either the Ministry laboratory or Merial it has come from...I think it is extremely embarrassing that the Government has started the outbreak. Usually it is imported meat or something like that, but there you are."

He added he was impressed with the fast reaction to the crisis and said: "They really jumped on it - I think no-one could find fault with that. They certainly did act quickly in view of the outbreak five years ago which got out of hand."

In the meantime he is "not worried".

"It is about being very observant, I suppose. I am not worried because there is nothing we can do. If it comes in the wind we can't do anyting to stop it.

"It is about being very vigilant just in case, and watching the animals, but we look at them every day anyway. I count them and look at them anyway, so I am doing nothing more than I would do every day of the year. That is just normal animal husbandry."