London ? Cattle on a southern England farm have been infected with highly infectious foot-and-mouth disease, British authorities said Friday.

An outbreak of the disease last developed in Britain in 2001, leading to the slaughter of millions of animals.

Prime Minister Gordon Brown chaired a meeting of the government’s emergency committee Friday night to discuss the development, according to a spokeswoman for the leader.

The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity in line with government policy, said the government’s top priority is to prevent the spread of the disease.

The Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, or DEFRA, said animals on a farm near Guildford in Surrey had tested positive for the disease. It did not immediately say how many animals were affected.

A 2-mile radius protection zone and a surveillance zone of 6 miles had been placed around the premises. A national movement ban of all hooved animals, including pigs, was also been imposed, DEFRA said.