Study shows Defra failed to contain FMD

The report from the Institute of Animal Health shows that the second foot-and-mouth outbreak in September came from the same source as the one in August – the Pirbright laboratories in Surrey.

Genetic fingerprinting of the disease showed that the second outbreak, 11 miles from Pirbright, was linked to the first and was not a separate incident as first thought.

The two outbreaks are now believed to be linked by sheep on Klondyke farm in Virginia Water, Surrey which had become infected but recovered from the disease, showing no signs of infection until tested by vets.

It is believed the farm became infected during the first outbreak in August but was overlooked as the animals showed no signs of disease, prolonging the outbreak for months.

The study has been accepted by Defra’s independent peer review process and is likely to lead to more questions about the handling of the outbreaks.

Scientists at the Institute of Animal Health made the discovery back in September, but Defra did not make the findings public.

The report has now been released by the scientists themselves to refute claims made in the Times newspaper that the second outbreak was caused by infected soil from Pirbright.

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