Foot and Mouth Disease: Questions and Answers on the outbreak in Surrey, August 2007
This page was last updated on 7 August 2007.
Further information on the outbreak.
- Where are the premises? Is it an abattoir or farm?
- Are you sure it was Foot and Mouth?
- Have there been any movements off the infected premises?
- Are there 3 separate infected premises?
Control Measures
- What do farmers in the area need to do?
- How many animals are being inspected?
- Will you be increasing surveillance?
- What's the difference in terms of restrictions between the PZ and SZ?
- Will this effect farms in any other areas of the country?
- What is your policy on culling?
- Will you carry out a contiguous cull? Why aren't you doing it now?
- How were the animals killed?
- What disposal method is being used for the carcases?
- Will you vaccinate?
- What are Dangerous Contacts?
- What happens to them?
- Have there been any dangerous contacts?
- Will you be closing access to any of the countryside?
- When will you know what happened?
- Are there any indications of any other animals that have come into contact with the affected animals recently?
- When will it be over?
Animal Movements and Export
- Does the movement ban included shows? What should show organizers and animal owners do?
- What about animals stuck (e.g. at shows)?
- When will animal movements be allowed?
- What are the main welfare issues?
- Can exports of livestock continue?
- What do I need to do to report what I think are illegal movements?
- Does the national movement ban affect the movement of horses?
- Are there any restrictions on horses?
Meat Movements
Where are the premises? Is it an abattoir or farm?
There are two confirmed cases of foot and mouth disease. They are both on farms in Surrey.
Are you sure it was Foot and Mouth?
Yes. Firm were results were received on Friday 3rd August for the first infected premises and Monday 6th August for the second infected premises.
Have there been any movements off the infected premises?
There had been only 2 movements off the premises in the last month for slaughter and none onto it.
Are there 4 separate infected premises?
No. There are only 2 confirmed cases. The first case is a single epidemiological unit which is split into 3 geographically separate sites.
Control Measures
What do farmers in the area need to do?
Farmers in the PZ and SZ should practice good biosecurity and be vigilant for signs of disease. Farmers must not move their stock to and from their premises (including into or out of the zone).
How many animals are being inspected?
All the animals in the PZ will be inspected.
Will you be increasing surveillance?
Within the area around the infected premises there will be enhanced levels of surveillance. All premises within the PZ containing livestock will be inspected by veterinary officers and will be subject to restrictions. This reduces the chance of potentially infected material leaving the premises until the disease status can be determined.
What's the difference in terms of restrictions between the PZ and SZ?
In the SZ there are no restrictions on the movement of non-susceptible animals, vehicles designed for transporting animals (e.g. horse wagons), artificial insemination or breeding, slaughter for private consumption or transport of fodder. In both the PZ and SZ, there will be enhanced levels of surveillance, although priority for inspection by veterinary officers will be given to the PZ.
Will this effect farms in any other areas of the country?
Yes. There is a national movement ban across GB (not Northern Ireland) which started at 22:00 on Friday 3rd August. All movements of susceptible animals are not allowed at the moment, including any movements within a farm which involve transport on a public highway. Where it is necessary for dairy cows to cross a public road to be milked this is permitted only under strict condition that the road is fully cleaned afterward.
What is your policy on culling?
One of the key parts of the disease control strategy is to cull out animals that have the disease or are at risk of having been exposed to infection (dangerous contacts). This removes the risk of those animals continuing to spread disease. Modelling work from FMD in 2001 shows that speedy culling of infected animals is a key part of getting on top of an outbreak.
Will you carry out a contiguous cull? Why aren't you doing it now?
A rigorous policy of tracing and culling out dangerous contacts is the priority, and the current view is that a contiguous cull is not necessary at the moment. However, the position will be kept under active review.
How were the animals killed?
The animals were humanely killed by a licensed slaughterman under veterinary supervision using a free bullet or lethal injection.
What disposal method is being used for the carcases?
The carcases are being disposed of by incineration
Will you vaccinate?
Emergency vaccination will be considered if a veterinary risk assessment shows that measures additional to the basic slaughter policy were required to control the disease. The Vaccination Regulations 2006 place vaccination at the forefront of disease control policies and put in place control measures to enable vaccination to take place.
The EU Directive gives greater prominence to the potential use of emergency vaccination in the event of an outbreak as an adjunct to the basic slaughter policy. The Government accepts that emergency vaccination should be considered as a disease control option from the start of any outbreak of FMD. There is a vaccination contingency plan in place, which would enable vaccination to begin 5 days after disease is confirmed if it is felt necessary.
What are Dangerous Contacts?
Dangerous contacts are animals or premises with a very high risk of having been exposed to infection. This means they may require additional or exceptional control measures. Defra has developed a dangerous contacts decision support tree which helps decision-making about how to classify animals or premises e.g. proximity, shared equipment, people etc.
What happens to them?
It depends on the level of risk they present. If they are relatively low risk they might simply be kept under close surveillance and/or samples taken. But for higher risk animals or premises culling may be necessary. The dangerous contacts decision support tree helps vets to establish the level of risk.
Have there been any dangerous contacts?
Yes, one. The cull of animals on a premises classed as a dangerous contact has now been completed. The carcasses will be transported, in leak proof lorries, to a commercial incineration plant in Somerset for disposal.
Will you be closing access to any of the countryside?
No. We have learnt the lessons of the experience of the 2001 outbreak and would not close down the countryside if not justified by the disease risk. Access to the countryside and in particular to footpaths, may be restricted within the protection zone if it is felt that it is too risky to keep them open. Footpaths on the infected premises are closed.
When will you know what happened?
An epidemiological investigation is underway and ongoing. It will take some time to collate and analyze all the information.
Are there any indications of any other animals that have come into contact with the affected animals recently?
An investigation into the origin of the infection on the farm has already begun and is continuing. All tracings onto and off the farm will be investigated.
When will it be over?
According to the OIE, the international health organisation, FMD free status can be regained 3 months after a stamping-out policy and serological surveillance is carried out.
Animal Movements and Export
Does the movement ban included shows? What should show organizers and animal owners do?
The movement ban includes all shows. Show organizers should contact their local Animal Health office. Animals already at the show ground should remain in place until they have been cleared and inspected by Animal Health.
What about animals stuck (e.g. at shows)?
No animals are permitted to move from shows at the moment. Each show is required to have in place a contingency plan for these circumstances which they should now be putting into place. Inspections of animals at showgrounds will take place and movements will be considered on an individual risk basis.
When will animal movements be allowed?
The first priority in a FMD outbreak is to prevent the further spread of disease, and a rapid and rigid application of animal movements restrictions is vital. As the disease situation develops it will become clearer when animal movements may once again be allowed.
What are the main welfare issues?
There may be certain circumstances where movement of animals may be allowed including to prevent welfare issues arising, but these will be assessed on a case by case risk basis. We are currently investigating issues such as movements of pregnant, sick or injured animals and the movement of feed. For more information contact your local animal health office.
Can exports of livestock continue?
You cannot export susceptible live animals to EU member states because there is a prohibition on the movement of susceptible live animals within GB.
Meat and some meat products from susceptible species should not be exported to EU member states. That means that no susceptible livestock can at present be moved to ports for export. Susceptible livestock include, cattle, sheep, pigs, other ruminants including deer and some zoo animals, camelids and elephants. The exact details will be included in new EU law expected on Monday.
What do I need to do to report what I think are illegal movements?
Please contact your local authorities to report illegal movements.
Does the national movement ban affect the movement of horses?
No. Horses are not affected by the national movement ban
Are there any restrictions on horses?
Yes.
Horses can only be moved in or out of the 3km protection zone under licence;
Horses cannot be moved from premises to premises within the 3km protection zone when there are susceptible animals on the same premises, except under licence; and
Vehicles designed for the transport of animals, including horse boxes, where susceptible animals are kept, cannot be moved from premises within the 3km protection zone except under licence
Meat Movements
Can meat move to supermarkets?
Providing the meat complies with official controls there are no further restrictions on the supply of meat to supermarkets.
Which animals are susceptible to FMD?
Among farm stock, cattle, sheep, pigs, and goats are susceptible, as are llamas and alpacas. Some wild animals such as hedgehogs, coypu, and any wild cloven-footed animals such as deer and zoo animals including elephants can also contract it.
Page last modified:
14 January, 2008
16:53