One rumour says the disease was started on purpose. A woman was seen waving round a test tube full of the virus. It just sounds right to them. They believe that the new outbreak, which began around two weeks ago, was at first ignored and then under-reported so the government could claim that foot and mouth was nearly finished. They take it very personally.
Farmers here are proud of the animals they've bred.
You can admire a lamb, and he'll tell you the name of its great-grandmother. It's been a terrible, sudden shock. Finally we were ushered into the Flabmeister's presence. He sounds a little more purposeful these days, less anguished, but still pretty flabby. Someone asked if he would still be in charge after the election.