Meat and milk products banned from ‘sheep plague’ areas

British visitors to the Continent have been told not to bring back any sheep or goat products, such as meat, milk or cheese, to protect the country from so-called “sheep plague”.

Peste des petits ruminants (PPR) is a respiratory disease typified by nasal discharge and salivation.

It has been spreading in southern Europe since mid-July, wreaking havoc on affected sheep and goat flocks.

See also: Thousands of sheep culled as virus spreads rapidly in Europe

As of 9 August, Greece had reported 47 outbreaks, with more than 2,000 cases, while Romania had notified 56 outbreaks, with more than 5,000 cases,

Romania has been especially hard hit, with more than 200,000 animals culled – equivalent to 2% of the national flock.

Commercial imports of sheep and goat meat and milk products to Great Britain have already been banned from these two countries.

Personal imports

But now Defra has moved to ban personal imports from PPR-affected countries as well.

Furthermore, sheep and goat products from other EU or European Free Trade Area countries may not now be brought back into the country, “unless commercially produced and packaged to EU standards”.

Wales and Scotland are set to follow suit.

UK deputy chief vet Ele Brown insisted the disease poses no threat to humans.

“But it causes severe illness in sheep and goats.

“An outbreak in the UK would lead to animal suffering and be very damaging for our farming and livestock industry,” she said.

“Everyone can do their bit to help stop animal diseases spreading to this country by simply not bringing unpackaged meat, cheese and milk on to our shores.”

Responsible 

National Sheep Association chief executive Phil Stocker said the move was a “really responsible thing to do”.

But he had real concerns about the lack of checks being carried out at the borders and recent cuts to the budget for this work.

“If we are to take the issue seriously, we must plug all the gaps.

“The major one is the illegal import of meat though Dover,” he said.

The foot-and-mouth disease outbreak of 2001 cost the country billions.

Mr Stocker said the government needed to invest more now to avoid such catastrophic costs occurring again.