March 22, 2006

Brazil ends foot-and-mouth disease slaughter 
 

Brazil's Agriculture Ministry announced on Monday that it had completed the culling of animals infected with foot-and-mouth disease in the southern state of Mato Grosso do Sul, five months after the disease was discovered.

34,000 domestic animals had been slaughtered to contain the disease, the ministry said, adding that the government has given out US$9 million to compensate owners of the culled animals.

Disease-hit farms would be monitored to ensure the disease had been completely eradicated, the ministry said.

The disease, detected in October last year, resulted in 50 countries imposing bans on Brazilian beef.

The Brazilian authorities are hoping for a swift end to the ban once the disease had been officially cleared from the country.