VACCINATING animals in another foot-and-mouth outbreak could financially cripple Welsh livestock farmers, a union warned yesterday. A new European directive requires all EU member states to have arrangements in place for using emergency vaccination if the deadly disease strikes again. When the FMD virus struck in 2001, vaccination was ruled out amid union concerns it would destroy the market for UK beef, lamb and milk. Instead, millions of farm animals were culled in attempts to stem the disease, resulting in huge compensation payouts. NFU Cymru, in its response to consultations on the directive, says vaccination would not only add costs to livestock production, it would leave mountains of unsold meat. Union deputy president Dai Davies, speaking at Monmouthshire Show, said, "We are concerned at the losses that will be sustained by the livestock sector if the vaccination route is pursued." | 
