THERE will be no cattle, sheep, pigs or goats at this year's Pembrokeshire County Show due to the recent foot and mouth outbreak.
Despite this last minute disaster, organisers insist the show must go on and are determined to forge ahead with horses, dogs, a food hall, a horticultural display, and many other attractions.
General manager, Malcolm Crossman, said it cost £600,000 to stage the show, and to cancel it at such short notice would have disastrous financial consequences.
He urged the public to support the popular show and insisted it still offered great value for money.
The news that foot and mouth had been found on a Surrey farm on Friday caused panic among the agricultural community, who remember the devastating effects of the last epidemic.
The county council deployed animal health officers to Pembroke Dock and Fishguard ports to monitor livestock being transported.
On Friday, lorries containing cloven-hoofed animals were allowed to continue to their destinations but on Saturday no livestock movements were allowed.
Animal health and welfare inspectors are considering taking action against one farmer who was moving livestock after restrictions were imposed.
Checks for illegal movements are taking place and apart from this one incident, the farming community is said to be adhering to the ban.
* Show organisers said rumours of the ban being lifted would not affect the show as the decision to exclude livestock had already been made.
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