FOOT AND MOUTH DISEASE
Veterinary Risk Assessment (No.3)
What is the risk of causing new outbreaks of FMD by moving weaned piglets, sows or cows close to parturition within a premises for pressing welfare reasons?
Summary of the risk factors
Moving livestock during an FMD outbreak increases the risk of spreading infection to premises which were previously uninfected. The risk is that undisclosed infection will be carried to the other part of the same premises. 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 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. Pig premises are subject to different, more rigorous controls which restrict movements to within breeding pyramids and impose longer standstill period for movements which have taken place from outside the pyramid. 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:
- the proposed movements are over a very short distance
- the limited number of movements from England and Wales to Scotland during the summer, supported by preliminary modelling results
- in particular there are no reports on SAMU of any movements of sheep or pigs from Surrey into Scotland since 16 July 2007
- Pigs and cattle require more frequent attention by stockmen than sheep
- FMD in pigs and cattle is easier for a stockman to spot than infection in sheep
- movements can only take place within premises in the same ownership
- all the animals on the premises are part of the same epidemiological unit
Risk management
- Only weaned piglets, sows or cows close to parturition can be moved
- Stockman to check animals before movement to ensure no clinical signs of FMD in stock to be moved.
- Movement must be by the most direct route
SUMMARY OF THE RECOMMENDED ACTION
The risk can be minimised by restricting movements to those which are essential to protect animal welfare.
- Only weaned piglets, sows or cows close to parturition can be moved
- Stockman to check animals before movement to ensure no clinical signs of FMD in stock to be moved.
- Movement must be by the most direct route
Veterinary Division
Rural Directorate
Scottish Executive
9 August 2007