Movement restrictions of farm animals in Northern Ireland were eased today on animal welfare grounds.
Agriculture Minister Mrs Bríd Rodgers said licences would be granted for limited movements under strictly controlled conditions.
The move came the day after it was confirmed that a suspected case of foot-and-mouth disease in Co Tyrone was a false alarm. There has been just one confirmed case - in South Armagh - in the North in almost two weeks.
Mrs Rodgers said she was prepared to grant licences to farmers to move sheep from mountain pastures to enable them to lamb at home farm premises. The same would apply to cows, which can be moved to home premises for calving.
The Minister said: "I am concerned that at this time of year when farm animals are giving birth, serious welfare problems could be experienced.
"I do not want to have to have to slaughter animals on welfare grounds and, therefore, where the situation warrants it, I am prepared to grant licences to farmers."
Pig farmers will also be able to move weaner pigs to fattening premises to prevent overcrowding.
Mrs Rodgers said she wanted to stress that licences would only be granted in "exceptional circumstances" and for movement within limited distances.
In the three-kilometre protection zone in which the only case of foot and mouth was confirmed, animals would still only be allowed to be moved for emergency welfare slaughter.
Also in the 10 kilometre surveillance zone and in the rest of the province, weaning pigs may only be moved directly to fattening premises within five kilometres of their current accommodation.
Mrs Rodgers made her announcement at Stormont before heading to London for a crisis meeting with British Agriculture Secretary Mr Nick Brown and agriculture ministers from Scotland and Wales.
Meanwhile, next month's Circuit of Ireland rally was postponed today.
Organisers of the annual event, in which drivers travel through Northern Ireland and the Republic, said they were trying to reschedule the event for later in the year.
PA