MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

FAM in northern Brazil.

The Brazilian Ministry of Agriculture reported this Thursday the outbreak of foot and mouth disease, FAM, in a farm in the northern state of Pará, the first since 2001.

According to the report three head of cattle in the township of Monte Alegre proved positive to FAM.

"This event has interrupted a 34 month period of absence of the disease", added the report. However the Brazilian government was quick in pointing out that the area is distant from the southern states of the country that have been declared free of FAM.

Experts from the Agriculture Ministry are working in the farm that has been quarantined and further blood samples will be taken for analysis.

The farm with the outbreak has 130 cattle, apparently registered as vaccinated in 2003. It was the owner of the farm who called local veterinary officials to check the herd.