UK bans imports of pigs, cattle and sheep from Germany in bid to prevent foot and mouth outbreak

14 January 2025, 15:51

Britain has banned imports of livestock from Germany amid an outbreak of foot and mouth.
Britain has banned imports of livestock from Germany amid an outbreak of foot and mouth. Picture: Alamy

By Henry Moore

Britain has banned imports of pigs, cattle and sheep from Germany after a case of foot-and-mouth disease was confirmed in the country.

Listen to this article

Loading audio...

While no cases have been confirmed in the UK, the government announced the measures this afternoon in a bid to prevent the disease spreading from mainland Europe.

Food-and-mouth poses no risk to human or food safety but is a highly contagious disease of cattle, sheep, pigs and other cloven-hoofed animals.

UK Chief Veterinary Officer Dr Christine Middlemiss has called on livestock keepers to remain vigilant in their biosecurity as well for the clinical signs of foot-and-mouth.

Dr Middlemiss said: "We remain in constant contact with German counterparts to understand the latest situation following their confirmation of a single case of foot-and-mouth disease.

"We have robust contingency plans in place to manage the risk of this disease to protect farmers and Britain's food security, which means using all measures to limit the risk incursion and spread of this devastating disease.

Read more: Comedian and actor Tony Slattery dies aged 65 following heart attack

Men in protective clothing and with rifles go to a stable where a case of foot and mouth was detected.
Men in protective clothing and with rifles go to a stable where a case of foot and mouth was detected. Picture: Alamy

"I would urge livestock keepers to exercise the upmost vigilance for signs of disease, follow scrupulous biosecurity, and report any suspicion of disease immediately to the Animal and Plant Health Agency."

Farming minister Daniel Zeichner said: "The Government will do whatever it takes to protect our nation's farmers from the risk posed by foot-and-mouth.

"That is why restrictions have immediately been brought in on animal products from Germany to prevent an outbreak, and we will not hesitate to add additional countries to the list if the disease spreads.

"We will continue to keep the situation under review, working closely with the German authorities."

Symptoms of the disease include sores and blisters on the feet, mouth and tongue as well as fevers, lameness and a reluctance to eat.

For sheep and pigs, the disease tends to manifest with lameness and potential for blistering.

The disease can have a devastating financial and emotional impact on affected farmers, who face production losses like reduced milk yields and culling their livestock.

The UK suffered major outbreaks of the disease in 2001 and 2007, leading to millions of pigs, cattle and sheep being slaughtered across the country and costing both the public and private sector billions.

The Government recently announced a £200 million investment in the UK's main research and laboratory testing facilities at Weybridge to bolster protection against animal disease.

More Latest News

See more More Latest News

Donald Trump and Elon Musk

Trump will back Elon Musk to investigate 'hundreds of billions of dollars of fraud and abuse' in US military

Robbie Williams on Instagram

Robbie Williams pays £20,000 for comedian's iconic glasses and pipe

Garda

Man arrested after several people reportedly stabbed in Dublin

Chancellor Rachel Reeves.

Reeves calls for economic growth talks with bank chiefs, after 'Stagflation' warning

Reform UK Holds a Regional Conference In Wiltshire

Farage claims Conservative Party has less than 100,000 members and blasts Kemi Badenoch for calling Reform member numbers 'fake'

Foreign Ministers attend an Arab League extraordinary meeting in Cairo on October 11, 2023.

Egypt to host emergency Arab League summit after Trump announces plan to displace 1.8 million Palestinians and 'take over Gaza'

Jack Fincham.

Love Island star admits to feeling like a 'failure' after spending '£1 million on drugs, alcohol and gambling'

Westminster Abbey and Church House

Church of England meeting at time of ‘unprecedented crisis’ after scandals and historical abuse claims

The plane was forced to make an emergency landing

easyJet flight forced to make emergency landing after pilot collapses on board

Joel Verite was among the first on the scene of the Southport knife attack where three girls were stabbed to death at a Taylor Swift-themed dance party.

Southport hero who came face-to-face with Rudakubana as he rushed to save dying girls says it was 'like a horror film'

Labour vows to punish any other MP or minister caught up in Andrew Gwynne WhatsApp group scandal

Labour vows to punish any MP caught up in Andrew Gwynne WhatsApp group scandal

Donald Trump has spoken to Vladimir Putin

Trump confirms he 'spoke to Putin about ending war in Ukraine' as Russian president 'wants to see people stop dying'

displaced Gazans walking toward Gaza City on January 27, 2025, after crossing the Netzarim corridor from the southern Gaza Strip.

Israeli troops withdraw from key militarised corridor that splits Gaza in two as part of ceasefire deal

The bodies of Andrew Searle and his wife Dawn were discovered by a neighbour in Les Pesquiès, south of Villefranche-de-Rouergue, on Thursday afternoon.

Mysterious death of British couple in French villa suspected murder-suicide as investigators consider new theories

David Schwimmer has called for Elon Musk to ban Kanye West from X

Friends star David Schwimmer calls for Kanye West to be banned from X over 'hate-filled, ignorant' remarks

The NTSB recovers the debris of a Sikorsky UH-60 Black Hawk involved in a mid-air collision near DCA in Arlington, VA.

All major parts of DC plane and Black Hawk helicopter involved in mid-air collision recovered, investigators confirm