Stopping the Spread of FMD
Stringent biosecurity measures are essential to reduce the risk of disease occurring on your farm or spreading it to other animals.
Biosecurity is a set of management practices that collectively reduce the potential for the introduction or spread of animal disease-causing agents into and between groups of animals. The Scottish Government wishes to encourage everyone to take responsibility for biosecurity to avoid the devastating effects of animal diseases.
Key Practices include:
- Buying in healthy stock from proven sources;
- Providing clean food and water;
- Maintaining good standards of hygiene;
- Separation and isolation of new or ill stock;
- Appropriate slurry management or disposal of faeces;
- Traceability and identification of stock, visitors and deliveries.
Further information on these routine practices is available in the biosecurity section on our website or in our 'Codes of Recommendations for the Welfare of Livestock: Animal Health and Biosecurity'.
In the event of an FMD outbreak, additional precautions that should be taken are outlined in the Scottish Government's FMD contingency plan. Briefly these are:
- Keep livestock secure - keep fencing in good repair; prevent nose to nose contact of your animals with your neighbours' animals; try to keep an empty field, watercourse, wood or road between your livestock and your neighbour; avoid putting cattle on pasture that has been grazed by sheep for at least 6 weeks.
- Maintain good personal hygiene - use protective clothing/footwear/disposable gloves; keep a separate set of clothing or overalls to wear when working with different groups of livestock; after handling animals, clean and then disinfect clothing, footwear and equipment and wash your hands with soap and water.
- Use disinfectant footbaths - make sure that disinfectant footbaths are kept clean and that disinfectant is changed regularly; keep footbaths covered so that rain does not dilute the disinfectant; use water to wash off all mud and dung before applying disinfectant; brush hard in the direction of the tread.
- Keep your farm secure - ensure that feed is securely stored to avoid unwanted vermin activity; dissuade visitors from having contact with livestock.
- Keep unnecessary vehicles away - Encourage visitors to park at a safe point outside the farm's entrance; have a cleaning and disinfecting point at the farm's entrance/exit points. If a vehicle has to come onto your farm it must be cleaned and disinfected and, if possible, parked away from livestock.
- Clean and then disinfect vehicles - All vehicles and trailers must be cleaned and disinfected before entering and leaving your farm. Use water to wash off all mud before applying disinfectant; ensure hard to reach areas, e.g. the wheels and wheel arches, the inside of the vehicle and all areas used for carrying other things such as feed, bedding or equipment are all cleaned properly.
- Avoid visiting other farms - If this is unavoidable, follow the cleaning and disinfecting advice; take as little onto the farm as possible; if possible wear boots and clothing supplied by your neighbour; leave your dog at home; avoid driving through dung, slurry or manure on the road; if any material falls from your vehicle, if possible, sweep it off the road; change your clothes and footwear before you visit your own animals.
IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OR CONCERNS, CONTACT YOUR LOCAL ANIMAL HEALTH OFFICE. AN ON-CALL 24-HOUR SERVICE IS PROVIDED FOR EMERGENCIES.
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