Look for the signs of foot-and-mouth disease

Foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) is a viral disease that spreads rapidly between cloven-hoofed animals including cattle, sheep, pigs, goats, deer, buffalo, alpacas and camels. It does not affect equines.

It is highly contagious, and livestock can contract the virus through the breath, saliva, mucus, milk or faeces of an infected animal, up to four days before symptoms appear.

Be alert for signs of FMD in livestock. These could include:

• high rate of death or sickness in animals
• excessive nasal discharge or salivation
• reluctance to move, eat or drink
• drop in milk production
• blisters on the feet, mouth or mammary glands
• any unusual disease symptoms.

At first suspicion of sickness or a disease that concerns you, contact your local vet or notify Agriculture Victoria on the Emergency Animal Disease Watch Hotline 1800 675 888.

More information

Look for the signs of foot-and-mouth disease

Sheep and goats with foot-and-mouth disease

Pigs with foot-and-mouth disease

Cattle with foot-and-mouth disease

Images courtesy of The European Commission for the Control of Foot-and-Mouth Disease (EuFMD)