What game theory can tell us about the response to food and mouth disease

It is best to say at the beginning of this episode that I am not an agronomist. I do follow the news that the Minister of Agriculture announced yesterday that due to foot-and-mouth disease, a ban on the movement of cattle will be introduced for 21 days. This means that farmers cannot move cattle between pastures and that no auctions can be held. Where cash flow is thin this will put pressure on individual farmers and for the rest of us, it can disrupt the supply chain of beef. It certainly has economic consequences, but can economics also shed light on the matter in other ways? * The Economics Minute is supported by the NWU Business School.