Foot and Mouth being punishment from God? I doubt it.

I thought we got punished when we end up in Hell. Although many people say this is hell, I think even God could come up with a more effective means of punishing us than that.

What about all the poor cows, sheep and pigs? What harm they ever do anyone?

The religous (or supernatural) explanation is just what people fall back on either when there isn't a scientific explanation or they don't like the scientific explanation.