Northern Ireland may not be declared free of the foot-and-mouth virus until the autumn, Stormont agriculture minister Bríd Rodgers said today.
The minister told the Northern Ireland Assembly's agriculture committee that her department was carrying out extensive systematic testing on all sheep in Northern Ireland which might not be completed until the autumn.
Serology tests were currently taking place on flocks in the Glens of Antrim where an outbreak of the disease occurred in Cushendall and in the Speerin Mountains but will also take place in other parts of Northern Ireland.
"Some 50 private veterinary practitioners have been recruited to supplement the department's own efforts and I am optimistic that the target test rate of 10,000 sheep each day will be reached shortly and maintained until the exercise is complete," she said.
Ms Rodgers, told the Stormont committee chaired by Democratic Unionist leader the Rev Ian Paisley, that Northern Ireland was "not out of the woods yet.
"There is always the possibility that we could face further hot suspects or a confirmed case," she warned MLAs.
"So long as the number was very small, I am confident that our current arrangements with the continued assistance and co-operation of the RUC and Army would be able to cope.
"Preliminary slaughter would take place immediately and steps would be taken for the immediate establishment and monitoring of the three kilometre and 10 kilometre zones and the further slaughter and disposal which would be necessary."
The SDLP minister told the committee she doubted if there were a significant rise in the number of outbreaks, her department as it was presently structured would be able to cope.
New operational structures would be introduced within her department to enable it to cope should this worst-case scenario develop.
Northern Ireland has had four cases so far - in Meigh in south Armagh along the Irish border, in Cushendall and two in Ardboe, Co Tyrone.
PA