Exports of animals and meat susceptible to the disease prohibited
The Government has stepped up measures to prevent the spread of Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD), following a case being confirmed in Germany.
The import of cattle, pigs and sheep from Germany will now be banned to protect farmers and their livelihoods. GB health certificates will no longer be issued for animals susceptible to FMD including all live animals and fresh meat.
The UK Chief Veterinary Officer is also urging livestock keepers to remain vigilant to the clinical signs of FMD following a confirmed case of the disease in Germany. There are no cases in the UK currently.
FMD poses no risk to human or food safety, but is a highly contagious viral disease of cattle, sheep, pigs and other cloven-hoofed animals, livestock keepers should therefore be absolutely rigorous about their biosecurity.
Maintaining good biosecurity is essential to protecting the health and welfare of herds and critical to preventing the spread of diseases such as FMD and preventing an outbreak spreading.
FMD causes significant economic losses due to production losses in the affected animals as well as loss of access to foreign markets for animals, meat and milk for affected countries.
Clinical signs to be aware of vary depending on the animals, but in cattle the key signs are sores and blisters on the feet, mouth and tongue with potentially a fever, lameness and a reluctance to feed. In sheep and pigs signs tend to manifest with lameness with potential for blistering. This guidance page provides
