We often talk about biosecurity as an important concept within overall herd health. But with foot-and-mouth disease (FMD), the typical level of biosecurity is not adequate and it is wise to be ready to implement enhanced biosecurity if necessary. FMD doesn’t respect fences, roads or national borders. 

If it ever enters the United States, every cattle operation will be affected. While we haven’t seen a case of FMD in the United States since 1929, the risk of reintroduction remains real, and the consequences could be staggering.

FMD is a highly contagious viral disease that affects cloven-hoofed animals such as cattle, pigs, sheep and goats. The virus causes painful blisters on the mouth, feet and teats, leading to drooling, lameness, reduced feed intake and sometimes death in young animals. 

Although it is neither a particularly deadly disease nor a public health nor food safety concern, detection of FMD in the United States would halt livestock movement, trigger strict quarantine in affected zones and cost billions of dollars. 

What sets FMD apart from many other diseases is how efficiently it spreads — not just from animal to animal, but on clothing, feedtrucks, tires, manure and even the wind. Although FMD doesn’t infect people, we can accidentally carry the virus from one location to another. 

That means a veterinarian, truck driver or producer who walks through an infected pen and then visits another operation can carry the virus on boots, clothing and equipment — potentially starting an outbreak.

Developing a plan

Even though many cattle operations have a basic biosecurity plan to deal with common diseases, the level of biosecurity required to stop the spread of FMD is much stricter. While it is not practical to practice FMD-level biosecurity every day, it is important to have a strict biosecurity plan that can be quickly implemented if FMD is detected in North America. 

A group of veterinarians, researchers, beef producers and government officials have been working with other livestock groups to develop plans that can address the many challenges associated with an introduction of FMD. The plans include: Secure Pork Supply, Secure Milk Supply, Secure Sheep and Wool Supply, and Secure Beef Supply. 

The Secure Beef Supply Plan (SBS) resources (www.securebeef.org) have been developed through funding by the USDA under the National Animal Disease Preparedness and Response Program (NADPRP) with the goal to increase preparedness by developing resources so cattle producers, veterinarians and haulers can quickly implement enhanced biosecurity if needed. 

The SBS Plan is a voluntary tool for those in the cattle industry with the goal to maintain the economic viability of the cattle industry during and after an FMD outbreak by supporting a continuous supply of beef from cattle outside zones with FMD cases to consumers, while also providing for effective and efficient responses to minimize disease spread to other herds. 

One way to limit the spread of this very contagious disease is to stop the movement of animals and animal products. Producers can start preparing today using the guidance in the SBS Plan to develop contingency plans for limited animal movement, learning to identify early signs of FMD and beginning to work with state animal health officials to know the requirements that will need to be met to move healthy cattle to other premises in the event of FMD reappearing in the United States. 

Editor’s note: Robert L. Larson is a professor of production medicine and executive director of Veterinary Medicine Continuing Education at Kansas State University in Manhattan, Kan.