Hoof and mouth would be an excelent economic weapon.
One caveat. There *IS* an effective vaccine.
The Netherlands used it.
The cost is that it kills exports because it results in positive antibody
tests for the entire herd.
Since a stud can live for years it can be a decade or two before the national
herd can be certified hoof-&-mouth free.
That is a significant cost, but in the face of a concerted attack it
would make sense to bypass the scorched-earth quarantine that Britain used to
get back the ability to export livestock and animal products and go right to
wholesale vaccination.
