Sheep
Veterinary Society
Division of the
British Veterinary Association
FOOT
AND MOUTH DISEASE –
URGENT ADVICE FOR CATTLE AND SHEEP FARMERS
These
notes have been produced by British Cattle Veterinary Association, Sheep
Veterinary Society, National Sheep Association, National Farmers Union
and MAFF. Further information is on the MAFF
website.
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Foot and mouth disease can be spread by:
| · | Direct contact with an infected animal | |
| · | Airborne spread from infected animal | |
| · | Indirectly by infected material carried on persons, clothing, vehicles, equipment, sheepdogs, scavenging animals and vermin. |
The foot and mouth virus is still spreading and causing infection in spite of the measures imposed. The airborne risk will decrease as infected animals are slaughtered more quickly following clinical diagnosis of disease. Increasing air temperatures and decreasing humidity will also reduce airborne virus survival.
Further measures can be taken to reduce, and eliminate, the spread of the virus between animals and between farms. There is growing evidence that this is occurring to a significant degree by contact with animals in which disease has not yet been clinically recognised though they are infected. Disease may also be introduced to farms or groups of animals by vehicles, people and equipment which have been inadvertently contaminated.
The greatest contribution that you can make in helping to control the spread of disease are:
| · | prevent different groups of livestock being in contact | |
| · | minimise the number of journeys you make to visit stock | |
| · | carry out, at all times, the most rigorous cleansing and disinfection of yourselves, equipment and vehicles. |
In cattle and pigs the signs of disease are usually readily seen. This is not always the case in sheep. There is a chance that some sheep in your flock may be infected without you realising it. Infected animals pass the virus out in dung, urine, saliva, breath and fluid from burst blisters.
The virus can survive on surfaces such as hands, hair, boots, clothing, sheepdogs, scavenging animals, vermin, vehicles (pick-ups, quad bikes, tractors, combines, trailers, any delivery vehicle-milk tankers, feed and fertiliser lorries) tyres, machinery and any other equipment.
Contact
does not have to be direct such as examining or lambing an infected animal.
Indirect contact includes driving a vehicle over a track where infected
sheep have walked or putting equipment down on straw where sheep have
been bedded or lambed. A small particle of infected dung trapped in the
tread of tyres or boots is a typical example of how the virus may be inadvertently
moved between farms.
Although the disease may not yet have been confirmed close to your farm or livestock, there is the possibility that disease may be incubating in animals almost anywhere in the country.
Husbandry measures to help reduce the risk of disease spread.
Keeping Cattle Housed
Housed cattle are at a lower risk of contracting the disease directly from infected animals. Unless continued housing would seriously affect the welfare of such animals, or is otherwise totally impractical, you should try to keep them housed for as long as possible.
It is safer to bring feed to the cattle than to turn them out, but be sure any feed you buy in will not introduce infection.
Turning out of Cattle
If you must turn cattle out it is essential that you keep them at the furthest possible distance from sheep and any other animals of unknown disease status.
| · | There is no specific minimum distance but rather there should be at least one empty field, a river, a wood or road between your cattle and other animals. Airborne spread from infected sheep is not thought to be of major significance in this current outbreak. | |
| · | Talk to your neighbour to co-ordinate the grazing of boundary fields and check that the fences are secure. Effective disease security is dependent on intact and secure fences and hedges. | |
| · | Do not graze pastures that have carried any stock since mid February. Before this date disease was not thought to be widespread throughout the country. |
If you have any concerns over the health of your sheep ask your own vet to inspect them. Tell your neighbour if you have any concerns about their flock. If you suspect foot and mouth in any sheep you should contact MAFF.
Travelling between groups of livestock at farms and other premises
There is great concern, and epidemiological evidence, that the necessary visits for husbandry and welfare reasons to such animals has contributed to the spread of disease.
Animals housed or grazing at outlying locations are difficult to manage and tend with the current controls on movements. The risks of moving animals are great compared to the difficulties of providing feed and care for these animals.
| · | Treat each site as a separate and secure livestock unit. | |
| · | You must do everything to minimise the number of journeys you make around the countryside visiting such stock. | |
| · | Keeping the animals, particularly sheep, where they are and visiting them is a much lower risk than moving the animals. | |
| · | Consider making every effort to arrange for someone, local to the sheep, to care for them on your behalf if this is at all possible. |
If you have to make visits to sites away from the home farm for feeding, inspecting or tending stock you must ensure you maintain the highest of hygiene standards. You have a responsibility to yourself and your neighbours to avoid spreading disease to or from your home premises or other farms.
Visiting outlying stock
| · | Where possible, only use one vehicle for such visits. If possible, do not use it for any other stock related work between visits. | |
| · | Before you visit ensure you are taking only what is needed; the more you take the more you must cleanse and disinfect. | |
| · | Do not take any more people than is needed to carry out the task efficiently and safely. |
Disinfecting
All vehicles (including pick ups, cars, quad bikes, tractors and trailers) and all equipment must be cleansed and disinfected before leaving any site including the home premises. The virus is protected from disinfectant by mud or manure.
| · | Disinfect vehicles and equipment when leaving all sites. Pay particular attention to the tyres and wheel arches and wash out tyre treads so that the disinfectant can penetrate where the virus may be hidden. | |
| · | Disinfect the floor of the cab and anywhere which is used for carrying equipment. | |
| · | Clean and disinfect any kit or equipment that you are taking to the site before you load it. For example, clean and disinfect the outside of wrapped bales or feed bags. Take only feedstuffs and bedding materials which are clean and have had no contact with other animals. | |
| · | Clean and disinfect yourself before you set off. |
Clothing and Footwear
Any infective material stuck on footwear, hats or clothing could fall off during the visit and may well cause infection.
| · | Overalls should be clean and freshly laundered (the hottest wash the material can stand) before you visit. | |
| · | Remove all dung or mud from footwear, especially the treads and any cracks. | |
| · | It is best to keep a separate set of clothing, overalls and boots for each premises you have to visit. Leave them on the site to wear there. |
Arriving at outlying stock
| · | Do not drive across areas where livestock are kept and avoid, if possible, any infective material e.g. dung or slurry spilt on the road. | |
| · | Leave the vehicle either outside the site or as far from the livestock as possible. If you do take a vehicle in then you will have to disinfect the vehicle on entry and on leaving. | |
| · | Disinfect your footwear especially if you may have come into contact with infective material during the journey, eg opening a gate. | |
| · | Try to keep boots, clothes and overalls in a container at each site you visit to wear only at that site. |
Leaving outlying premises
| · | Where possible leave any equipment, overalls and boots at the site unless they could be a danger to stock, wildlife or the public. Ensure any materials are secured in accordance with COSHH regulations. | |
| · | If you have to take equipment or clothing home wrap and seal in plastic to be washed and disinfected. This should be done as soon as you get home and must be before any further contact with livestock. Dispose of any waste material carefully avoiding contact with livestock. | |
| · | Clean and disinfect your footwear and vehicle (if it went onto the site) before leaving |
Upon return to home premises
When you get home take every precaution to avoid infecting your stock
| · | Clean and disinfect your vehicle and equipment. Whenever possible keep both away from livestock areas even after cleaning and disinfecting. | |
| · | Change into clean clothing, wash your hands and, if neccesary have a shower or bath to remove any contaminated material. |
Do not go anywhere near stock at your home farm until you are confident you have done everything possible to reduce the risk of infection.
General Movements from farms
| · | When you, your family or staff leave the farm, wear clean clothes that have not been worn near livestock and change immediately on return. | |
| · | Keep specific clothes and footwear for use around the farm and do not wear it when out visiting shops or neighbours. Change and wash when you return before attending any livestock. Ensure that there is no potentially contaminated material on you or your clothes. | |
| · | Keep your farm secure as a disease free area. Ensure that any visitors to your farm premises are aware of the precautions you are taking | |
| · | Be aware of the responsibilities you have to yourself, your neighbours and the livestock around you. | |
| · | Contact your veterinary surgeon for more specific advice. |
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