The Scottish Government

THE SCOTTISH GOVERNMENT

FOOT AND MOUTH DISEASE

Veterinary Risk Assessment (No.14)

Livestock in Transit at Markets at the time of introduction of the national livestock movement ban under restricted zone measures

What is the risk of causing new outbreaks of FMD by allowing susceptible livestock, that are caught in transit at markets, to return home or to move to their new owner's premises, under licensed conditions, as an immediate exemption from the immediate national livestock movement ban?

The previously most recent case of FMD had been confirmed on 3 August and a national movement ban was in place from 3 August to 8 September. Foot and mouth disease was confirmed most recently on a farm in Surrey on 12 September 2007. A national movement ban under restricted zone measures was immediately reintroduced in Scotland on 12 September, however significant numbers of sheep and some cattle would be caught in transit at livestock marts in Scotland. The welfare needs of these livestock must be balanced against disease control considerations when assessing the risk of causing new FMD outbreaks by allowing them to return home or proceed to their new owner's premises.

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 new locations. The important risk factors are:-

• Undisclosed FMD at the premises of origin, or the premises from which the transport vehicle was dispatched.
• Silent spread of FMD by sheep or spread by susceptible livestock incubating disease.
• Mechanical spread of FMD virus in animal products or by other mechanical means - in decreasing order of risk; livestock; livestock vehicles; farm tractors and machinery; other equipment used in connection with handling susceptible livestock; farmers and other livestock handlers boots and clothing.
• The potentially rapid and widespread dissemination of FMD virus in livestock leaving markets.

The factors considered to be most responsible for increasing the risks are:

• Licensed movements of FMD susceptible animals between 3 August to 8 September (under the first national movement ban); movement of FMD susceptible animals between 8 September and 13 September 2007 (the period between the two recent national movement bans), and any illegal livestock movements since mid-July.

• Lack of awareness of appropriate biosecurity precautions on many farms throughout GB.

Undetected or incubating disease arising from the Surrey outbreak cannot be ruled out in Scottish livestock because (a) we are now back within an incubation period of the last confirmed case in Surrey, so further previously undetected disease cannot be ruled out and (b) it is not possible to quantify and eliminate all the possible risk factors. For example there are no available data on the frequency of movements of people and vehicles from Surrey to Scotland and the very small unquantifiable risk of further cases cannot therefore be entirely eliminated.

Gathering livestock from different farms during an FMD outbreak increases the risk of spreading infection to premises which were previously uninfected. The risk is that there might be an undetected pocket of infection on one of the farms sending sheep or cattle to market. At the market infected animals might spread infection to other animals and unregulated contact with livestock at the market by persons delivering animals could spread the virus to other farms visited by farmers or drovers after the gathering. The vehicles used to transport animals could carry the virus to other farms.

SUMMARY OF RISK REDUCING FACTORS

• There are, as far can be determined, 4000 sheep at Dingwall Mart, 700 pedigree Texel sheep at Lanark Mart and 2,500 sheep at Thainstone Mart alongside 200 cattle. Auctioneers assured Scottish Government that almost all these animals originated in the Scottish Islands where there is considered to be "negligible" FMD risk and no restriction zone measures apply. There are some animals (unquantified) from Caithness and Sutherland ("low risk").
• There are many statutory controls which routinely act to reduce risks. These include the pre-existing six day standstill periods applying to all farms in England and Wales and the 13 day standstill periods in Scotland, introduced after the 2001 FMD epidemic. Pig premises are subject to different, more rigorous controls which generally restrict movements to within breeding pyramids and impose longer standstill periods for movements which have taken place from outside the pyramid.
• As soon as FMD was suspected on 2 August, a temporary control zone was established, and, after confirmation on 3 August, stringent controls were implemented on the infected premises and in the Protection Zone and Surveillance Zone subsequently established. The same procedures have been implemented for the recent confirmed case on 12 August in Surrey
• One of the most significant risk reduction measures has been the rapid introduction of restricted zone measures which have prevented almost all movements of susceptible animals since the evening Friday 3 August 2007 to the lifting of these measures on 8 September 2007.
• The resulting publicity has raised the awareness of the farming community and since 3 August there have been three confirmed infected premises in Surrey and 93 negative investigations. Foot and mouth disease has not been found outside the county of Surrey.
• The slaughter of animals recommenced in Scotland on 8 August and since then most abattoirs have been close to normal capacity with no signs of FMD at ante mortem or post mortem inspection.
• Preliminary modelling work indicates that no movements of pigs or sheep have been detected from Surrey to Scotland since foot and mouth disease was first confirmed on 3 August.

The remaining risk of new cases of FMD appearing in Scotland is not negligible for the reasons stated. It is concluded that the current risk of there being a cases of undetected or incubating disease in susceptible livestock in Scotland is still "very low" - defined by EFSA as "very rare if present, but cannot be excluded".

RISK MANAGEMENT

• Susceptible livestock caught in transit at Marts in a restricted zone should only be permitted to return home or proceed to their new owners premises under the conditions of a general licence.
• Livestock should be subject to veterinary inspection before leaving the Mart
• Animals should be moved directly to their destinations and records kept of each consignment to include origin and ownership, place of departure, date and time of departure, place of destination and duration of the journey.
• The person in charge of the vehicle being used to move an animal must produce these transport documents on demand to an inspector or constable and retain the documents for a minimum period of 6 months after the movements is completed.
• All movements are subject to other relevant legislation including regulations relating to identification and traceability, and cleansing and disinfection of vehicles before and after each journey in accordance with Schedule 6 of the FMD Order. Approved disinfectants must be used as required under the Diseases of Animals (Approved Disinfectants) Order 1978.
• Movements to destinations in England would be dependant upon reciprocal licensing arrangements under the Foot and Mouth Disease (England) Order 2006.

RECOMMEND ACTION

The risk of causing new FMD outbreaks by permitting susceptible livestock in transit at Scottish Marts to proceed to their destinations, under licence, as an exemption from restricted zone measures, is considered to be "very low". The risk can be minimised further by restricting movements to those which are essential to protect animal welfare and by ensuring that movements only take place under the terms of a general licence.

Scottish Government

Rural Directorate