New On-Farm Quick Test for Foot-and-Mouth

UK - A rapid on-farm test has been developed to detect the foot-and-mouth disease.

The device uses the same technology as home pregnancy tests and can reveal if foot-and-mouth is present within 10 minutes of taking a sample.

A rapid test was rejected by the Ministry of Agriculture at the height of the 2001 foot-and-mouth outbreak, which meant thousands of animals had to be slaughtered before test results were revealed to be negative.

Dr Nigel Ferris of the Institute of Animal Health’s Pirbright Laboratory has been helping to develop the technology for six years and he hopes the device could save mass slaughter in future outbreaks.

To continue reading this article please click here

Source: Farmers Guardian

© 5M Enterprises Ltd.
2000 - 2007
No part of this site may be
reproduced without permission

5M Enterprises Ltd., 4 Haywood House, Hydra Business Park, Nether Lane, Sheffield, S35 9ZX, England.

Co. Registration 3332321 - A Benchmark Holdings Ltd. Company