Farmers and farm animals will be the losers if the Government strips more than half of the UK's regional veterinary centres of their laboratory facilities, it has been warned.

Laboratory services at eight of the 14 regional centres run by the Animal Health and Veterinary Laboratories Agency could close over the next two years.

Veterinary science laboratories are responsible for "animal specific" health testing, which includes the early diagnosis of diseases such as foot-and-mouth, bovine TB and swine fever, as well as a range of other laboratory services, including haematology, microbiology and biochemistry.

Defra claims the closures would save £2.4 million a year.

Prospect, the union for scientists and specialists in the agency, says that figure is dwarfed by the potential costs of failing to detect promptly a disease like foot-and-mouth, which cost the UK £8 billion.