CRAVEN farmers suffered another blow this week following a shock statement by a leading BSE expert claiming the disease could be passed on to sheep.

The news instantly sent more shockwaves through the already crippled farming community and associated businesses.

Professor Geoffrey Almond, chairman of the sheep sub-committee of the Ministry of Agriculture's BSE watchdog, said he believed there was a "distinct possibility" that the animals could be infected with the disease.

But many opponents say this is nothing new, as BSE, or "mad cow disease", is believed to have arisen from the sheep disease scrapie.

The news had an instant effect on farmers in Craven, particularly at Skipton Auction Mart where the annual sale of mule gimmer lambs was taking place.

Stephen Butcher, chairman of Craven Cattle Marts, told the Herald orders for at least 1,600 lambs had been cancelled as a result of this week's announcement.

And prices had dropped dramatically to just over £45 per lamb - nearly £30 less than last year's price.

"The statement said nothing new, but sowed doubts among purchasers as to the future of sheep in this country," he said.

"But it could not have been timed more badly, with thousands of lambs due to be sold in the coming weeks."

Mr Butcher added that it was a well-known fact that sheep's brains were looked on as a delicacy by some ethnic communities, which did not have appeared to have suffered as a result of eating them, despite scrapie outbreaks in the 1950s and '60s.

"For the hill farmer his sales of breeding lambs represents a large proportion of his annual income," added Mr Butcher.

"For the small farmer possibly showing 150 lambs, a drop of £4,500 coupled with the drop in fat lamb prices will make it almost impossible for him to survive."

Mr Butcher claimed the real reason for making the statement was for Prof Almond to get more Government cash to continue his research.

This was a sentiment echoed by Coun Robert Heseltine, chairman of the Yorkshire Dales National Park.

"This announcement was made at the worst possible time for upland farmers," he said.

So far the announcement has had little effect on the sale of lamb in Craven stores.

Ian Thompson, from Drake and Macefield butchers, in Skipton's Otley Street, said sales had not suffered.

"It's early days yet," he said. "But we don't know what could happen at the weekend."

A spokesman for the National Sheep Council told the Herald that if sheep had been infected with BSE, there would have been a significant increase in signs of the disease.

He advised consumers to ignore the speculation and farmers to continue to market their lambs in the normal way.

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