Farmers criticised the government decision yesterday to transport cattle infected by foot-and-mouth disease more than 80 miles to be incinerated.

They claimed that the cross-county journey was “absolutely stupid” and that it would put more herds at risk.

Slaughtered animals from Woolfords Farm in Elstead, Surrey, were taken to Wessex Incineration in Frome, Somerset, on Saturday night. Critics said that the decision to incinerate the cattle in a different county, rather than on site, was “madness”.

They believe that on-site incinerators – a more expensive method of disposal – should be used at point of slaughter.

Richard Haddock, the chairman of the South West National Farmers’ Union, said: “How they can claim to be containing the outbreak while they are prepared to transport the carcasses halfway across the country? It is absolutely stupid.”

South West MEP Neil Parish, who chairs the European Parliament Agriculture Committee, said: “This is madness. These animals have just got to be dealt with on site. If you are going to contain the disease you have got to stop live animal movements and stop moving dead animals as well.”

A spokesman for the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs said that Wessex Incineration had been chosen because it was the most suitable plant. She said: “It has the necessary capacity for cleansing and disinfecting and it is suitably distant from the site that may be the source of the virus. It also has the capacity to contain a live virus if necessary.

“We do not see transporting carcasses to that site as being a problem: they will be in sealed containers.”

Other farmers complained about the paucity of information yesterday. “Some leaflets turned up on Sunday but otherwise we have had to watch the TV and check the website,” one said.

Times Recommends

• Times Christmas appeal: Letter from the Editor
• Conferences — what a waste of money
• Schools supremo learns a painful lesson