The UK Government has today (Tuesday, January 14) announced a ban on the import of cattle, pigs and sheep from Germany "to protect farmers and their livelihoods".

The government said this was chiefly to prevent the spread of Foot and Mouth Disease following a case being confirmed in Germany.

Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD) is a legally notifiable disease and must be reported in the UK and Ireland.

The UK government has specified that GB health certificates will no longer be issued for animals susceptible to FMD - including all live animals and fresh meat.

The government has confirmed that there are currently "no cases" of FMD in the UK .

But it has warned that this is a "highly contagious viral disease of cattle, sheep, pigs and other cloven-hoofed animals".

It has urged livestock keepers to be absolutely rigorous about their biosecurity to protect "the health and wealth of herds" and to prevent the spread of diseases such as FMD.

The chief veterinary officer in the UK, Dr. Christine Middlemiss, said the government is now in constant contact with its German counterparts.

"We have robust contingency plans in place to manage the risk of this disease to protect farmers and Britain’s food security, which means using all measures to limit the risk incursion and spread of this devastating disease," she said.

According to the UK's Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) it has warned farmers to be aware of a number of "clinical signs" in relation to FMD.

In cattle the key signs are sores and blisters on the feet, mouth and tongue with potentially a fever, lameness and a reluctance to feed.

In sheep and pigs the key signs include lameness with potential for blistering.

Wales’ chief veterinary officer, Richard Irvine, has also urged livestock owners in Wales to remain vigilant following the recent case of FMD in Germany and said the Welsh government is working closely with the UK government "to protect our livestock following this unfortunate news".

Meanwhile the farming minister for the UK, Daniel Zeichner, has pledged that the government "will do whatever it takes to protect our nation’s farmers from the risk posed by FMD".

"That is why restrictions have immediately been brought in on animal products from Germany to prevent an outbreak and we will not hesitate to add additional countries to the list if the disease spreads," he said.

Last month the government earmarked a £200 million pound investment in the UK’s main research and laboratory testing facility.  

It said as a result the Animal Plant Health Agency’s laboratories at Weybridge, will be "safeguarded and enhanced" thank to the investment boost.