The Northern Ireland Department of Agriculture has today asked the British army and RUC for help in a desperate bid to prevent foot-and-mouth proliferation.
Agriculture Minister Ms Bríd Rodgers told a Stormont committee of her fears the Co Louth outbreak meant there was an unidentified strain of the disease at large.
She warned the prospect of the North being given special regional status to export to Europe had receded since confirmation sheep in Co Louth had tested positive.
Ms Rodgers said her staff and the authorities in the Republic were working hand-in-hand to track down the intermediate source and prevent further proliferation.
She said: "While both we and the Republic of Ireland authorities will be doing our utmost to deal with this latest development it is absolutely vital that farmers reinforce the fortress farming measures which I have been advocating since this disease first appeared."
As the new 10 km surveillance zone around the infected farm extended across the Border Ms Rodgers warned the committeethis could lead to the slaughter of dangerous "in-contact" animals in the North.
She said stringent Border controls had been put in place to monitor all crossings inside the surveillance zone.
The Department of Regional Development has been asked to arrange disinfecting procedures on the A1 - the main road entering the North.
"Needless to say any possibility of easement of the controls which we presently have - or of any regionalised lifting of the export controls on Northern Ireland animals and produce - has now receded for the time being."
PA