]Northern Ireland will continue its policy of culling all farm animals in the area around an outbreak, despite a relaxing of the policy in Britain.
Ms Brid Rodgers, the North's Minister of Agriculture, said the current policy had worked as it had so far contained the outbreak to four cases.
"As I understand it," she said after a meeting of the Executive, "the UK Agriculture Minister, Nick Brown, has made a statement . . . saying in certain circumstances the vet can decide that cattle may be spared if there is adequate biosecurity but it is the vet's discretion. We are in a different situation to Great Britain because we have been containing the disease." The North's First Minister, Mr David Trimble, said ministers were drawing up contingency plans for any worsening of the situation, including arrangements for the disposal of carcasses and the identification of possible burial sites.
"The Executive agreed that, as a further measure, the Department of Agriculture should appoint consultants to review the sites assessment process and to undertake a risk assessment process of possible sites," said Mr Trimble.
In a statement the Executive confirmed the risks of pollution from carcass disposal were also considered at the meeting.
The statement also re-emphasised the need for farmers to observe movement controls and maintain "fortress farming" principles against the background that the virus continues to circulate in the North's sheep flock.
Meanwhile, results from serology testing on animals in the area around two of the North's cases of the disease, in Ardboe, Co Tyrone, have returned negative. Testing has also been concluded around Cushendall, Co Antrim, the scene of the third case of the disease, and results are pending.