Saleyard scene of foot-and-mouth training exercise

By John Thistleton
Updated September 2 2014 - 5:13pm, first published 5:04pm
ON GUARD: ACT Territory and Municipal Services senior manager, biosecurity, Stephen Hughes at the Oaks Estate saleyards. Photo: Rohan Thomson Photo: Rohan Thomson
ON GUARD: ACT Territory and Municipal Services senior manager, biosecurity, Stephen Hughes at the Oaks Estate saleyards. Photo: Rohan Thomson Photo: Rohan Thomson

Hundreds of thousands of chickens have been destroyed, horses locked down and racing suspended in recent years because of livestock disease outbreaks, but if highly contagious foot-and-mouth swept across Australia, the consequences are hard to imagine.