Cyprus culls animals to stop foot and mouth spreading

NICOSIA (Reuters) - Hundreds of animals faced the cull in Cyprus on Tuesday as authorities attempted to stop foot and mouth disease after outbreak that risks striking a devastating blow to the island's farming sector.

On Monday, an EU expert confirmed an outbreak of foot and mouth at two farms on Cyprus, the first sign of the livestock killer in more than 40 years on the Mediterranean island.

Cypriot authorities pre-emptively culled 300 sheep and goats at two farms on Monday, but the slaughter was expected to run into the hundreds on Tuesday after suspicions the virus may have spread to another five farms.

A widespread cull is the only way to intercept the highly contagious airborne virus.

"We don't have the final results from the EU lab, but the veterinary services who have spoken to the lab say foot and mouth is a given," said Photis Photiou, Cyprus's Agriculture Minister.

"This is a very serious situation, we are going through very difficult hours. It is very likely we will extend the cull today to another 2,500 animals," Photiou told Reuters.

Cyprus has stopped all exports of meat, dairy and livestock, banned slaughters and imposed restrictions on animal movement.

Photiou said he would ask the EU to relax restrictions on exports of Halloumi cheese, a prized export of the Mediterranean island which ships about 5,500 tonnes of the rubbery cheese to Europe annually.

Goats and sheep at two farms in the southern Larnaca district were culled on Monday. Animals at five other farms within a three km radius had also showed signs of foot and mouth, Photiou said.

"It is very likely that we will have to put them down," he said.

Foot and mouth has not surfaced in Cyprus since 1963. The disease is usually harmless to humans, but extremely dangerous to cloven-hoofed animals like cows, pigs and sheep which develop sores, foam at the mouth and have difficulty standing up.

Veterinary services were also conducting checks on a farm in the western Paphos region. Reports from the area said angry farmers were refusing access to veterinary officials.

Authorities were drawing up an emergency package for farmers, who said it would do little to compensate for a lifetime's work.

"I'm 58 and unemployed. What am I going to do now?" said Demetris Dirris, one of the affected farmers. "I have been caring for those animals since I was four years old."

(Reporting by Michele Kambas; Editing by Peter Blackburn)