The source of foot-and-mouth disease found in southern Britain is a U.S. pharmaceutical company, the Mail on Sunday weekly reported.

British specialists said the strain of food-and-mouth disease found in cattle on a farm in the county of Surry, was similar to the one used at a nearby laboratory.

The government-funded Institute for Animal Health's Pirbright Laboratory, which is studying the disease, is located some six kilometers from the affected farm.

A number of sources reported that it hosted an international drill last month during which live viruses of foot-and-mouth disease were used.

The virus was detected at one of the Surrey farms last Friday. All the 60 cattle were culled, and authorities have been checking other farms in close proximity.

The incubation period of this strain of the virus is three to five days.