MONTEVIDEO, Oct 6 (Reuters) - Uruguayan officials are checking reports of foot-and-mouth disease symptoms in cattle in a northern part of the beef-exporting country, but the government said on Monday early indications did not point to an outbreak.

Agriculture Minister Ernesto Agazzi said officials had been alerted to signs of foot-and-mouth in four animals slaughtered in the Artigas district, which lies on the border with Brazil -- the world's No. 1 beef exporter.

"In the first instance, it's been ruled out that these slaughtered animals had foot-and-mouth symptoms, but we've got to be very careful and I can't give any official information until we have the laboratory results," he told reporters.

Uruguay, which the World Organization for Animal Health ranks as foot-and-mouth free with vaccination, suffered several outbreaks of the disease in 2000 and 2001. Beef exports were halted and thousands of cattle were slaughtered.

Beef is the South American country's No. 1 export earner and shipments are expected to bring in a record of about $1.4 billion this year, despite a recent slide in global beef prices due to the global financial crisis.

Foot-and-mouth is not a health risk to humans but it used to be devastating to the beef trade. The contagious virus causes sores on the hooves and mouths of cloven-hooved animals and reduces meat production. (Reporting by Patricia Avila; Writing by Helen Popper; Editing by Marguerita Choy)

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