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133
DISEASES OF ANIMALS ACT, 1950
In January 1967 an outbreak of foot-and -Mouth disease occured in
Hampshire. The disease was contained and the infected area released from
restriction on 25th February.
On 4th September the area around Snitterfield, Stratford-upon-Avon,
Warwickshire, was declared to be a foot-and-mouth disease infected area.
The disease spread rapidly and on 16th November the whole of England
and Wales was declared to be a Controlled Area. On 24th November this
was extended to include the whole of Scotland, the Orkneys, Shetlands and
all other Scottish islands.
Of the infected areas, Quinton in Northamptonshire was the nearest
to Harrow.
The Control Order affecting the whole of England and Wales
prohibited the movement of animals anywhere in the country unless
authorised by a Movement Licence issued by the local authority. Most of
the Movement Licences issued in Harrow related to animals brought into
local slaughterhouses and during the period September to 31st December
fifty such licences were issued.
Precautions were taken on the farms and at the dairies within the
district to prevent the disease being carried into the premises on the wheels
of vehicles and farmers and dairymen were advised as to the precautionary
measures that could be taken. In these and other matters we had their
active co-operation.
Part of the milk supply to one dairy farmer with a large milking herd
came from the Newport Pagnall area on a direct farmer to farmer delivery
basis. By co-operation with the dairymen and with the Milk Marketing
Board, the possible chain of infection was broken by delivering the milk
from the producer's farm to the Milk Marketing Board Station at Luton,
and conveying the milk from there to Harrow on another vehicle.
Other precautions taken locally included control of the disposal of
stomach contents and other waste from our slaughterhouses and the
disinfection of vehicles used for the movement of animals to and from the
slaughterhouses.