Foot and Mouth
It was 20 years ago today that the disease was first reported in Essex. It went on to devastate the whole UK with millions of animals slaughtered. There is no vaccine for this disease just vigilance and good animal welfare. It was thought that it came into the UK on Brazil beef.
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Indeed, it had a devastating effect on the farming community around us. There were of cause many conspiracy theories about how it seemed to progress down the Usk valley, but the smoke and smell coming from those dreadful piles of burning animals are still firmly in my memory. There are still nowadays far fewer sheep on the hills here and they look all the better for it. I recall my wife hiding a pack of bacon in the duvet and us having to drive through a deep trough of disinfectant when coming off the ferry at Le Havre.
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The main theory was that the army was fed on Brazilian beef as the worst affected areas ( or the source of infection) were around Brecon and Catterick- both large Army camps. There was no definitive reason given by the government then or now. We have seen repeatedly why importation of goods ie Ash Die back from imported trees, foot and mouth and others when greed and cost cutting takes place.
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