The Argentinean government has ordered 3,000 cattle to be killed, after ten Paraguayan cattle were found to be infected with antibodies of the virus that causes foot-and-mouth disease. According to agricultural officials, the cattle were not suffering from active cases of the disease. Since

Argentine exports for grass-fed beef are expected to reach 350,000 tonnes in the year 2000, the destruction order was a "precautionary measure'. Argentina, which is the fourth largest beef exporter in the world, has recently got a clean chit for its stock being free of foot-and-mouth disease, without the use of vaccination.