FOOT AND MOUTH DISEASE
Veterinary Risk Assessment (No.1)
What is the risk of causing new outbreaks by moving FMD susceptible animals to slaughter within Scotland?
Summary of the risk factors
Moving livestock during an FMD outbreak increases the risk of spreading infection to premises which were previously uninfected. The greatest risk is that infection will be carried to the slaughterhouse and spread to the local area or distant farms. There are lower risks to the premises of origin and even lower risks to premises passed during the journey. The important factors are likely to be:
- movement of infected animals from farms in the Protection Zones or Surveillance Zones to farms in Scotland
- undisclosed FMD at the farm of origin
- failure to ensure that animal transport has been adequately cleansed and disinfected before and after collection
- failure to minimise time, distance and stopping points on route
- transport through or close to an infected premises
Summary of risk reducing factors
There are many statutory controls which act to reduce risks. These include the pre-existing 6 day standstill periods applying to all farms in England & Wales and 13 day standstill periods in Scotland, introduced after the 2001 FMD epidemic. As soon as disease was suspected there were TCZ and other controls on infected premises, in the PZ and the SZ. One of the most significant risk reduction measures has been the rapid introduction of the Restricted Zone measures which have prevented almost all movements of susceptible animals since the evening of Friday 3 August 2007.
Other factors include:
- movements will only be permitted within Scotland
- the satisfactory conclusion of tracings from the infected farms
- the limited number of movements from England and Wales to Scotland during the summer
- the fact that movements to slaughter or Scottish stock tend to flow from north and west in a southerly or easterly direction from parts of Scotland furthest from the infected farms in Surrey
- animals slaughtered soon after arrival at a slaughterhouse cease to be 'virus factories' soon after death
Risk management options
Risk management procedures can be applied at the farm of origin, en route, and at the slaughterhouse. They are listed separately.
At the farm of origin
- Ensure that the vehicle which will move stock is clean and has been disinfected before collection, and that driver wears clean protective clothing.
- Allow movement only if the slaughterhouse is expecting the consignment
- Stockman to check animals before movement to ensure no clinical signs of FMD in stock to be moved, or in other stock on premises.
En route
- Require direct movement
- Prohibit multiple collections or deliveries
- Prevent movement within 3km of IP
- Prevent movement through infected area, even by motorway
- Minimum delays or stops
- If stop is unavoidable the vehicle must be parked at least 100m away from susceptible livestock preferably in an urban location
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At the slaughterhouse
Facilities
- The slaughterhouse must be approved to operate by the Food Standards Agency.
- Arrangements must be in place to accept in advance of deliveries
- There must be an adequate system for recording deliveries and consignments capable of storing this information for at least six weeks
- Facilities must be available on site and used accordingly for the effective cleansing and disinfection of parts of vehicles, crates and modules used to transport animals to the slaughterhouse
Practices
- The slaughterhouse must not source any animals from premises within a Protection or Surveillance Zone.
- Animals are inspected in the lairage by the OV immediately on arrival
- Slaughter may only take place when the Meat Hygiene Service are present at all times.
- Slaughter to take place within 24 hours
- No live animals are allowed to leave the slaughterhouse
- Personnel - other than office staff who do not have contact with the slaughterhouse operations - to follow good biosecurity procedures when entering and leaving the premises
Cleansing and disinfection
- Require cleansing and disinfection of vehicle at the slaughterhouse
- Only one vehicle may use the C&D facilities at one time
- Clean and dirty vehicles must not be parked next to each other
- Require driver to cleanse and disinfect boots and clothing (or change into clean clothing) on leaving the slaughterhouse
- Lairage must be cleansed and disinfected after the last animal is slaughtered within a 24 hour period, and in any case, before any other animals are admitted to the lairage
SUMMARY OF THE RECOMMENDED ACTION
The movement of susceptible livestock from farms in the Restricted Zone to slaughterhouses in the RZ can be permitted under certain conditions which are listed in the risk management section above which can summarised as:
- Direct movements from farm to slaughterhouse
- Vehicles must be adequately cleansed and disinfected before picking up livestock
- Drivers must be equipped with clean clothing and boots before arrival on farm
- Only single journeys are permitted; no multiple pickups or drop-offs, no unnecessary delays
- Slaughterhouses must be approved before designation
- A veterinary inspection of animals for slaughter must take place on arrival
- No live animals may leave the slaughterhouse
- Slaughter must take place within 24 hours
- Vehicles must be adequately cleansed and disinfected at the slaughterhouse
Veterinary Division
Rural Directorate
Scottish Executive
7 August 2007
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