Foetus used in herd infection bid

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An apparent attempt to infect a cattle herd with brucellosis has been described as appalling by Agriculture Minister Michelle Gildernew.

A foetus infected with the disease was found dumped in a field at Lislea, County Armagh.

It was found near feeding buckets where cows, calves and a bull were grazing, but did not come from the herd.

The foetus had been opened from its neck to its belly, with meal placed over it and inside it.

Mrs Gildernew said DNA tests would be used to help track down those responsible.

"DNA samples taken from the foetus and the bacterium itself will be analysed, so that future genetic identification of the source of the infected foetus and the strain of the bacteria is possible.

"As I previously reported, my veterinary officers now have new processes that allow them to explore in detail the disease links between herds, going back over the past number of years," the minister said.

She said all the cows in the field had recently calved, so the foetus could not have originated from any of them.

"This despicable act could put our Brucellosis Control Programme in jeopardy, at a stage when we are seeing very positive benefits from the actions and initiatives that we have put in place over the past few years," she added.

Brucellosis causes cattle to miscarry and in some humans the disease causes a mild flu-like illness, while others experience recurrent or chronic fever.