1.   A culling program would force up dairy prices because the cattle most at risk from BSE are older cows that make up the dairy herd.

2.   A culling program would force up dairy prices because the cattle most at risk are the older cows that comprise the dairy herd.

3.   A culling program would force up dairy prices because the cattle most at risk from BSE are the older cows that comprise the dairy herd.

4.   But it will not anger farmers, since they would have slaughtered these older cows for meat anyway and now will still be paid for them.

5.   Older cows are considered more likely to have the disease than younger ones.

6.   Previously, older dairy cows were used to produce various meat and bone products.

7.   The government had appeared ready on Monday to order the slaughter of older cows, a move suggested by one Cabinet minister over the weekend.

8.   But the National Farmers Union urged the government to destroy older cows to prevent them entering the food chain.

9.   Currently, the ban applies only to cows older than one year.

10.   Older cows are considered more vulnerable to bovine spongiform encephalopathy, or BSE, the fatal, brain-wasting disease known as mad cow disease.