Today’s agricultural industry is dependent on the propagation of livestock. However, keeping them healthy, strong and producing high-quality meat and milk can pose a challenge. In order to produce more food while reducing the risk of disease and infection, farmers have turned to intensive farming practices such as animal breeding. This has increased the risks of animals contracting diseases such as Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD) or swine flu. If you are new to this topic, then read on to learn more about Foot and Mouth Disease in animals, its threat level and ways you can mitigate its impact on your business.

Foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) is an acute highly contagious viral infection of cloven-hooved herbivores such as cattle, sheep, goats, deer, pigs and other animals. FMD manifests with intense clinical signs like lameness and fever before the virus becomes systemic 3 days after the clinical onset. The disease is characterized by high fever that declines rapidly after two to three days, blisters inside the mouth that lead to excessive secretion of stringy or foamy saliva and to drooling, and blisters on the feet that may rupture and cause lameness.

Infection occurs when an animal recovers from an acute infection but continues to have a small amount of replicating virus present in the pharynx. Cattle, buffalo, sheep and goats can all become carriers, but pigs cannot.

FMD is a painful disease for the affected animals. The vesicles and blisters are painful in themselves, and restrict both eating and movement. Through ruptured blisters, the animal is at risk from secondary bacterial infections and, in some cases, permanent disability. Farming operations can also be disrupted by secondary bacterial or fungal infections from FMD exposure or stress from exposure to stressors like isolation, overcrowding or transportation.

What is Foot and Mouth Disease?

Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD) is a highly contagious viral infection that affects hoofed animals such as cattle, sheep, goats, deer and pigs. FMD is caused by a virus named aphthovirus.

Animals are infected by coming into contact with the faeces or saliva of an infected animal. All animals, even healthy ones, can be carriers of the virus. There is currently no specific treatment for FMD, and the disease is painful and sometimes deadly. FMD symptoms can vary depending on the time of infection, the animal’s immune system, diet and environment.

Animals may show symptoms of foot blisters, mouth blisters, dehydration, lethargy and loss of appetite. There is no way to tell which animals are infected or how far along the disease is in an animal. The disease is difficult to diagnose because there are no specific signs and symptoms. Diagnosis is based on the results of a sample swabbing the inside of an infected animal’s mouth. There is no or rare spread for FMD in humans, so humans cannot spread the disease.

How does Foot and Mouth Disease Spread?

Once an animal is infected with FMD, the virus travels in the saliva and faeces of that animal. These materials can easily be inhaled into the lungs, or through cuts or wounds, or through contaminated surfaces. Because FMD is highly contagious, the risk of spreading it is high in crowded, close quarters. The virus can also be spread to other animals by contaminated feed, water or equipment. Humans can be rarely infected by breathing in FMD-infected droplets in the air or by coming into contact with infected saliva, faeces or contaminated surfaces.

Infected animals can also spread the disease to other animals by sharing food and water or by touching contaminated equipment.

FMD Risk in Animals

The risk of FMD in any one animal is low, but there is a significant risk of an outbreak in an entire herd. When a particular herd becomes infected, it is spread to any adjacent animals by sharing food and water, through contact with contaminated equipment or possibly by airborne transmission. Once an outbreak has begun in a herd, it is difficult to stop. Because of the contagious nature of FMD and the risk of an outbreak in any herd, it is important to be prepared for an outbreak. It is recommended that all animals in a farm should be vaccinated against Foot and Mouth Disease.

Causes of Foot and Mouth Disease in Animals

-Virus responsible for Foot and Mouth Disease is an aphthovirus.

– Changes in the environment.

-The FMD virus can be transmitted in a number of ways, including close-contact, animal-to-animal spread, long-distance aerosol spread, typically fodder.

-when an animal continues to have a small amount of replicating virus present in the pharynx.

 – An animal infected with FMD is likely to have an anxious, stressed or dangerous environment. This may result in an animal biting or clawing at itself or others while in pain.

 – Changes in the herd environment. When an infected animal enters a herd of healthy animals, it is likely to be noticed by the herd. This may result in the infected animal being attacked. The healthy animals are then also at risk of being infected.

How to Prevent an Outbreak of Foot and Mouth Disease in your Farm?

– Vaccination against Foot and Mouth Disease is the most effective way to prevent an outbreak. It can be administered to all animals in a herd.

– Regular testing of the herd for disease is vital. This can be done by collecting a sample from inside the pharynx of every animal.

 – Regular cleaning of the fodder areas, equipment and facilities of a farm is necessary to prevent the spread of Foot and Mouth Disease.

 – Regular disinfection of equipment and facilities is necessary to prevent the spread of FMD.

Conclusion

As you can see, FMD is a serious threat to the agricultural industry. It is important to take measures against an outbreak. Vaccination is the best way to prevent an outbreak, and regular testing for disease is vital to prevent its spread. The good news is that there are many steps you can take to safeguard your farm, even if an outbreak occurs.