Food-chain unraveling: Livestock plagues hit U.S., Nepal, and UK, mystery virus killing numerous animals

February 27, 2012 – BRITAIN - Thousands of lambs are dying in Britain. The Schmallenberg virus causes lambs to be born dead or with serious deformities such as fused limbs and twisted necks, which mean they cannot survive. Scientists are urgently trying to find out how the disease, which also affects cattle, spreads and how to fight it, as the number of farms affected increases by the day. So far, 74 farms across southern and eastern England have been hit by the virus, which arrived in this country in January.