Restrictions on animal movement following the foot-and-mouth outbreak in Surrey are to be significantly eased today.
The news comes as government vets assess whether the disease has spread to Hampshire after an animal was found with suspect symptoms.
Scottish Rural Affairs Minister Richard Lochhead has granted a general licence permitting livestock to be moved from farm to farm. It is a crunch time for Scottish farmers, particularly sheep rearers, who say restrictions have forced many of them to the financial brink. Around one third of Scotland's 20,000 farmers are involved in rearing sheep.
A spokeswoman for the National Farmers Union of Scotland said sheep farmers usually derived around 70% of their income from sales at this time of year.
However, as sheep have not been able to go to market or grassy lowland areas to gain weight before being slaughtered, vital income has not been available.
"There are between 200,000 and 400,000 lambs which just don't have a market at the moment. Usually they would be slaughtered and sold for export but this hasn't been possible," the spokeswoman said.
Under the new guidelines, animals will be subject to a 20-day stand-still period as a disease control precaution once on new farm premises.
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