March 26, 2001

Vigilance Is Best Approach to Foot and Mouth Disease

The best advice for livestock producers concerned about foot and mouth disease is the same as for any other disease or condition in livestock: be alert and observant, says a North Dakota State University beef specialist.

"Top producers know their livestock and spend time observing them and watching for anything out of the ordinary," says Greg Lardy of the NDSU Extension Service. "They’re the ones that catch problems early and get things under control. That’s what’s needed in the foot and mouth disease situation."

Key signs of the disease include slobbering, lameness resulting from blisters followed by erosions in the mouth or on the feet. Ruptured blisters discharge either clear or cloudy fluid and leave raw, eroded areas surrounded by ragged fragments of loose tissue. Sticky, foamy stringy saliva is produced. Consumption of feed is reduced because of painful tongue and mouth lesions. Lameness with reluctance to move also is often observed. Abortions often occur. Milk production drops and conception rates may be low.

"As with other health problems, consult with your veterinarian," Lardy says. Foot and mouth disease can be confused with several similar, but less harmful diseases such as bovine viral diarrhea, foot rot, bluetongue and vesicular stomatitis in cattle or vesicular exanthema of swine and swine vesicular disease.

The United States has been free of foot and mouth disease since 1929. In addition to recent outbreaks of the disease in Europe, various types of the disease have been identified in Africa, South America, Asia and part of Europe.

Although animals often recover from the disease, its effects often linger for months. Milk production and reproduction may never return to normal in recovered animals.

"Keep in mind that this disease has existed around the world for a very long time," says Charlie Stoltenow, veterinarian with the NDSU Extension Service. "Although there’s been increased awareness lately, we’re at no greater risk from this disease than at any other time. Our ports are under surveillance and officials are on the lookout for foot and mouth disease and other diseases every day of the year."

Why the heightened concern about foot and mouth disease? "The virus that causes this disease is the most contagious organisms known to either human or veterinary medicine," notes Teresa Newell, a pathologist at NDSU’s Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory. She recently participated in USDA training on foreign animal diseases that included sessions on foot and mouth disease. Because it is so contagious and because of the losses it causes, costs to control the disease if it were introduced into the United States could cost billions, she says.

Although outbreaks in Europe have been tragic for the producers involved, "they have heightened awareness of the disease and its potential here," Newell says. "Hopefully this has served as a wake-up call for us to maintain and strengthen our vigilance and defenses against foot and mouth and other diseases that could easily become established here."

Stoltenow notes more foreign livestock enter the country through North Dakota than any other state. Last year, more than 236,000 cattle, 2.5 million pigs and 4.2 million poultry crossed the state’s international border.

More information on foot and mouth disease is available from the USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service at http://www.aphis.usda.gov

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Sources:
Greg Lardy, (701) 231-7660, glardy@ndsuext.nodak.edu
Teresa Newell, (701) 231-7524, tnewell@ndsuext.nodak.edu
Charlie Stoltenow, (701) 231-7522, cstolten@ndsuext.nodak.edu

Editor: Tom Jirik, (701) 231-9629, tjirik@ndsuext.nodak.edu

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