FAQs related to New Zealand and European Union agree disease outbreak strategy

No, there is no Foot and Mouth Disease risk for people from eating meat.

No. Vaccination is used in some countries where FMD is present to control the disease.

Although death from Foot and Mouth Disease is unusual in adult animals, it causes serious production losses and can kill young animals. The clinical signs are fever, followed by the appearance of vesicles (fluid-filled blisters) between the toes and on the heels, on mammary glands and especially on the lips, tongue and palate. These vesicles often combine to form large, swollen blisters that erupt to leave raw, painful ulcers that take up to 10 days to heal. Foot lesions leave animals lame and unable to walk to feed or water. Mouth lesions are highly painful and cause animals to stop eating. Adults usually begin eating again after a few days, but young animals may weaken and die, especially if the virus has caused lesions on heart muscles, or be left with foot deformities or damage to the mammary glands.

Foot and Mouth Disease can be destroyed by heat, low humidity, or certain disinfectants, but it may exist for a varying time in a suitable medium such as the frozen or chilled carcass of an infected animal and on contaminated objects.

Foot and Mouth Disease is regarded as one of the most highly infectious livestock diseases. It spreads very rapidly from one animal to another, especially in cool, damp climates and/or when animals are penned or housed in cold weather. Seven strains of the virus are recognised.

It is generally accepted that maximum aerosol spread is 10 km over land (up to 60 km suspected) and up to 250 km over water. Concentrations of pigs can generate virus aerosols (plumes) over considerable distance if environmental conditions are suitable- high humidity, cool ambient temperature. Airborne transmission from cattle and sheep can not be shown experimentally to occur over distances in excess of approximately 3 km. Although occasionally dramatic, plumes are FMD strain specific and may not be important in disease spread. Infected animals and animal products are by far the important source of new infections.

Foot and Mouth Disease is transmitted from one animal to another in saliva, mucus, milk or faeces. It can also be spread by aerosols in the wind (excreted from the lungs of infected animals by breathing). Wool, hair, grass or straw, footwear, clothing, livestock equipment or vehicle tyres may act as mechanisms of infection.

FMD has a wide host including cattle, swine, sheep, goats, deer, elk, antelope, bison, and water buffalo. Llamas and alpacas have a high natural resistance to infection and appear not transmit FMD to other camelids under field conditions. Elephants are also susceptible. Horses are resistant.

Experimentally other species including mice, rats, guinea pigs, rabbits, embryonating chicken eggs and chickens themselves may be infected but these are not implicated in the spread of FMD. Foot and Mouth Disease is not a human health risk.

Foot-and-Mouth Disease (FMD) is an acute, highly contagious viral infection of cloven hoofed domestic animals and wildlife, easily transmitted by direct and indirect contact as well as aerosol. It is found in most parts of the world, at present the World Animal Health Organisation lists 55 countries in Africa, the Middle East, Asia and South America that have the disease.

FMD is not a public health concern. In exceptionally rare cases, FMD has been isolated from humans with itching vesicles in Europe, Africa and South America.

MAF has a full emergency plan ready for immediate action which has clear lines of accountability between the agencies and organisations involved in managing FMD.

Firstly there is an investigation:

Within 15 minutes of an alert to a possible FMD outbreak, a vet is dispatched by the Exotic Disease Response Centre. This vet must report back to the outbreak response manager at the Centre within six hours. During this time the entire exotic disease response system is placed on alert.

If the vet can't rule out FMD, an exotic disease investigator will be sent to collect samples. These samples will then go to the New Zealand Animal Health Reference Laboratory for immediate diagnosis and samples will be sent on the Pirbright Animal Health Laboratory in the UK for final virus 'typing' to determine the exact strain of FMD. Once this is identified a vaccine specific for that strain will be ordered. A Restricted Place Notice will be placed on the farm/s under investigation prohibiting the movement of all livestock, vehicles on and off the farm, and other high risk items.

Then comes the Response phase:

Within the first 24 hours of a definite confirmation of FMD, the following actions must happen:

• whole of government crisis management mechanism is activated
• immediate national livestock standstill
• slaughter of susceptible stock on known infected farms
• restricted place notices are prepared to quarantine infected premises
• road blocks put in place
• movement control of risk products within and out of the restricted place and controlled area
• intensive tracing and investigation of all livestock movements on and off infected properties
• decontamination of premises, vehicles and other high-risk items in contact with infected animals
• markets notified and suspension of trade
• briefing of officials and key stakeholders
• markets notified and suspension of trade
• briefing of officials and key stakeholders, at both national and local level.

They should contact the MAF emergency hotline immediately on 0800 80 99 66 any time of day or night.

A FMD outbreak represents a significant threat to New Zealand's economy and way of life, with the following likely consequences.

• virtually all exports of meat, animal by products, and dairy products would halt and most would not resume until at least three months after the slaughter of the last infected animal
• our international reputation for premium beef and lamb could be severely damaged
• there would be a cumulative reduction in our GDP of around $6 billion dollars in the first year, rising up to $10 billions dollars by the second year
• unemployment would rise by 1 percent - a loss of approximately 15,000-20,000 jobs.

Countries recognized as FMD free without vaccination have no international trade restrictions whereas those that utilise vaccine to control FMD experience significant embargoes.

There are seven strains of the FMD virus. Vaccines tend to protect against only one strain. To adopt vaccination as an effective preventive measure would require use of either multi-valent vaccines (i.e. containing more than one virus strain) or multiple vaccines.

Preventive vaccination would interfere with clinical expression of disease if FMD were introduced, while still allowing virus to circulate. So, the sensitivity of surveillance measures would decrease. Further, the presence of antibody positive animals in the population would interfere with serological surveillance to demonstrate disease freedom, because there are still no widely available tests to distinguish between antibodies from natural infection and those from vaccination.

Emergency suppressive vaccination (vaccinating animals in an outbreak, then slaughtering all vaccinated animals) may assist eradication procedures. NZ is creating their own FMD Vaccine Bank for emergency use in the event of an outbreak. Resumption of status as "FMD free without vaccination" occurs three months after the last case and the slaughter of all vaccinated animals.

New Zealand has never had a case of Foot and Mouth Disease. However, it is vulnerable because of the high number of visitors from Asia and the UK to the country, and from New Zealanders returning from trips overseas.

MAF Biosecurity New Zealand Clearance figures indicate that 42 per cent of all passengers found with undeclared risk goods are New Zealanders returning from overseas.

New Zealand is also vulnerable to people sending risk goods back to New Zealand through the mail, or ordering food or plant material from overseas, and people ordering over the Internet.

There are many potential ways, but the international spread of FMD virus is most commonly via the movement of live ruminants and pigs, followed by the movement of meat and meat products.

The two diseases are quite different. Foot and Mouth Disease in livestock is cased by a different virus (Picornavirus) and is not a threat to human health. Hand, Foot and Mouth Disease, is caused by a different virus (Coxsackie virus A16). It affects the inside of the mouth and the palms of the hands, fingers and soles of feet mostly of young children and especially among groups in day care centres, but it may be seen in adults.

The Animal Welfare Compliance Plan (292 KB) was developed in 2010 to improve compliance with the Animal Welfare Act (1999). MAF and a range of other organisations are currently implementing initiatives under the plan to support those who genuinely want to comply with their animal welfare obligations, and to encourage or compel those who do not.

The proposed animal welfare strategy will support and complement these initiatives, but we expect it to focus more broadly on New Zealand’s animal welfare system as a whole.

A strategy and proposed changes to legislation will be finalised and provided to Cabinet in the second half of 2012. From there, Cabinet will determine the timeline for changes to be approved and implemented.

It is expected that strategy and legislation option documents will be released during a public consultation phase in the first half of 2012. Everyone will have the opportunity to express their views on the development of the strategy and legislative changes, and recommendations provided to the Government will take account of these views.

The advisory group is made up of representatives with a range of animal welfare perspectives, including on farm; processing; consumer; science; veterinarian; animal advocacy; and marketing and trade perspectives.

MAF is leading the development of the strategy and legislative amendment proposals. An advisory group of representatives with a range of perspectives on animal welfare matters has been set up to provide expertise as proposals are developed. The advisory group will meet regularly from July 2011.

Key partners and stakeholders involved in animal welfare in New Zealand will also be contacted to gain an understanding of their views about the system and the gaps that a strategy needs to fill.

There will be a public consultation phase in 2012 where everyone will have the opportunity to express their views on the development of the strategy and the proposed legislative changes. Recommendations provided to the Government will take account of these views.

Work on the strategy will support a concurrent review of animal welfare legislation – in particular the Animal Welfare Act 1999. The Act has functioned well to support New Zealand’s animal welfare system to date, but requires review in some areas. Linking the legislation review with the strategy development will help ensure that the legislation fully supports New Zealand’s overarching animal welfare strategy.

A national strategy for New Zealand’s animal welfare system is being developed because, although our current animal welfare system has served us well, there is no explicit strategy setting out New Zealanders’ expectations for animal welfare. As society evolves, and animal welfare challenges continue to arise, the need for such a strategy increases, to help guide decisions and clarify the vision for New Zealand’s animal welfare system.

This strategy will also provide an opportunity to formalise the animal welfare systems currently in place and look at the roles and responsibilities of Government and other organisations so that we all have a shared understanding of how our systems can be improved over time.

  Yes, but under certain conditions. Minimum standards for the use of electric or electronic collars are in the code of welfare for dogs.

A code of welfare for zoo animals came into force in January 2005. Codes of welfare contain minimum standards and may include recommended best practices. The code for zoo animals includes details on such things as animal management, food and water, housing and environment, behaviour and stress, health and disease, transport, and euthanasia. A copy of this code is available on this website and in your public library, or can be obtained by emailing animalwelfare@maf.govt.nz.

A code of welfare for circus animals came into force in January 2005. Codes of welfare contain minimum standards and may include recommended best practices. The code for circus animals includes details on such things as the obligations of owners, circus operation, food and water, shelter, accommodation and housing, animal training and performances, disease and injury control, and transport. A copy of this code is available on this website and in your public library, or it can be obtained by emailing animalwelfare@maf.govt.nz.

Animal welfare legislation can be found at www.legislation.govt.nz . Click on Statutes (which are listed alphabetically) and you will find the Animal Welfare Act. You can also purchase all legislation from Bennetts Bookshops.

Hard copies of the Guide to the Animal Welfare Act and the User’s Guide to Part 6 of the Animal Welfare Act 1999 (dealing with the use of animals in research, testing and teaching) can be obtained by emailing the Animal Welfare Group.

Codes of welfare can be found on this website or obtained by email. University libraries hold copies and you can request a copy from your public library.

Under the Animal Welfare Act 1999, people must attend to the physical, health and behavioural needs of animals in their care. These needs are further detailed in codes of welfare. Codes of welfare also contain minimum standards, including minimum standards on the provision of shade and shelter.

The provision of shade and shelter has important economic and practical implications for farmers. The issue of shade and shelter is not clear cut. Shelter and shade may be provided in a number of ways including the use of topographical features such as gullies or hollows (of adequate depth), natural features such as stands of trees or scrub, hedges or shelter belts, or artificial structures such as buildings, hay stacks, etc.

There is ongoing research on shade and shelter in New Zealand conditions, and NAWAC will be studying this research in order to make practical recommendations in new codes of welfare for farmed animals.

New Zealand exports a wide range of species including horses, deer, cats, dogs, bees, goats, day-old chicks, ferrets, wallabies, embryos and semen. Livestock are especially sought after because of their high genetic value and because New Zealand is free of most major exotic diseases. Animals are shipped live because they are used for breeding, or for slaughter in the country of arrival. Groups that are too large for transport by air may be taken by sea.

New Zealand is currently not shipping any cattle for slaughter, and the export of live sheep for slaughter has dwindled since the 1990s, with the last shipment being in 2003. It does, however, export cattle and sheep for breeding.

Under the Animal Welfare Act 1999, all animals for export (unless specifically exempted) must be issued with an Animal Welfare Export Certificate (AWEC), which takes account of animal welfare requirements and covers compliance with standards.

An experienced New Zealand stockman must accompany shipments of cattle. Some shipping companies also send veterinarians. All shipments are inspected by a MAF veterinarian before they depart.

A shipping report is completed at the end of each voyage which records any deaths, the weather, feed and water supplies, and any issues which affected the welfare of the animals.

Sea-bound shipments have additional requirements in the Maritime Rules, which are monitored by the Maritime Safety Authority. These cover ventilation, feed and water, space requirements, pen height requirements etc.

As a member of the World Trade Organisation (WTO), New Zealand has certain obligations under WTO agreements. New Zealand cannot prohibit the export of animals to other WTO member countries on the basis of management procedures in the country of importation.

The National Animal Welfare Advisory Committee is currently developing a code of welfare for the shipping of livestock.

After consultation the Government has decided to restrict the sale and use of leg-hold traps in New Zealand. New regulations came into effect on 1 January 2008.