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Problems faced by farmers in the UK In recent years, farmers in the UK have had to cope with many problems, the most recent of these being foot and mouth disease, which is a highly contagious viral illness that afflicts sheep, pigs, cows, goats, deer and other animals with cloven hoofs. Foot-and-mouth can be fatal to animals, but most can recover from the disease. Since its latest outbreak was discovered on February 19th in England, foot-and-mouth has spread to France. But it differs from mad cow disease (BSE)- the other disease to recently hit the European Agricultural Industry, in that it does not pose a health risk to humans. Foot and mouth poses an economic threat to Britain and Europe. Livestock has been slaughtered; movement limited and nations worldwide have joined the U.S in banning meat and dairy products from the E.U. In Britain especially, foot-and-mouth is compounding the blows to the livestock industry from mad cow, last summer’s classical swine flu outbreak and winter flooding. Foot-and-mouth gets its name from its tell tale symptoms. Infected animals develop blisters around their hooves and mouths. They suffer high fevers and excess salivating.
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