Confinement, grazing ban and mandatory slaughter are necessary to curb FMD

(Photo: Pixabay)

Last week, the Slovak authorities detected the presence of the FMD pathogen in three cattle herds, one in Medve, one in Csiliznyárad and one in Baka. In order to curb the epidemic, Dr. Szabolcs Pásztor, the national chief veterinarian, decided to introduce new measures. In Győr-Moson-Sopron county, a grazing ban has come into effect in the 10 km strip along the border until April 7. In the surveillance zone established due to the outbreaks in Slovakia, cattle and sheep must be kept closed during this time. Pigs can play a significant role in spreading the virus. The epidemiological risk can be significantly reduced by slaughtering the pig population, which farmers must do in the restricted area by March 31. Backyard farmers can choose home slaughter, the date of which must be reported in advance to the local animal health service, as samples are also taken from the slaughtered animal in this case. As an alternative, the authorities can be trusted by slaughtering the animals, in addition to state compensation. The appearance of foot-and-mouth disease in livestock has serious economic consequences due to its extremely high contagiousness and rapid spread. To curb the epidemic, it is also recommended to slaughter susceptible animals in the 10 km zone along the border, which in certain cases may also be done at the expense of state compensation.

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