August 6, 2007

Dutch government bans internal livestock transport as precaution

The agriculture ministry in the Netherlands ordered a freeze on transport of all livestock with cloven hooves in the country Saturday (August 4), as a precautionary measure after an outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease in the UK.

The ministry said that the order was effective from 2:30 p.m. (1230 GMT) and covered cows, sheep, goats and pigs, preventing them from being brought to any market; transports directly to slaughterhouses would still be allowed.

Minister Gerda Verburg "has taken this measure because foot-and-mouth disease has been detected at a cattle farm in Guildford, England," her office said in a statement.

It wasn't clear how long the transport ban would remain in place.

The ministry also warned Dutch travellers not to visit UK farms and banned them from bringing animals or food when they return.

The UK government has already imposed a voluntary ban on exports of livestock and animal products as a result of the outbreak.

Any cattle trucks or horse transport carriages that came from the UK to the Netherlands before the ban must now head to an official Dutch check-in station for extra cleansing and disinfecting, the statement said.

An outbreak of foot-and-mouth that began in the UK in 2001 spread to the Netherlands, leading to major culls.