AN EXCLUSION zone and animal movement restrictions have been placed around a farm in Canonbie, Dumfries and Galloway, after an outbreak of bovine TB.

A total of 95 cattle at Southwoodhead Farm will be slaughtered, with the source of the outbreak yet to be established.

The farmer, William Gibson, will be compensated for the loss of his animals but he gave warning to others in the industry to be wary. He said: “I have lived on this farm for 50 years and there have never been any problems, particularly as far as TB is concerned. This is extremely worrying for my business. My main priority now is to co-operate with the authorities and to ensure that this outbreak is stamped out.”

Tests were carried out after slaughterhouse staff found lesions consistent with bovine TB. A total of 43 cattle were found to have symptoms. Whole-herd slaughter is an option that is used when disease is widespread within a herd and the last such case in Scotland was in South Lanarkshire in 2003.

A Scottish Executive spokesman said: “There are no risks to health for the general population. Any farm workers who have been in direct contact with infected animals will be assessed for risk of exposure and will be offered screening for TB by medical staff according to standard national protocols, if indicated.”

Cases of bovine TB in humans are rare and usually only found in the elderly or people who catch it abroad.

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