Scotland and the rest of the UK have introduced a ban on cattle, pig and sheep imports from Germany after foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) was discovered in the country.
The discovery was made in water buffalo in Brandenburg, prompting the risk level in the UK to be increased to medium.
FMD does not pose a risk to human health but is a highly contagious virus that affects cattle, sheep, pigs, and other cloven-hoofed animals.
This virus spreads easily through direct contact, and airborne transmission is possible. The disease can quickly affect entire herds or flocks.
The Scottish Government has said it will continue to monitor the situation while working closely with German authorities and other UK administrations.
Scotland’s chief veterinary officer Sheila Voas said: “I appreciate the concern this latest development will be causing to the farming community and wider agricultural sector in Scotland.
“We have not seen foot and mouth disease in Scotland since 2001, and, alongside government restrictions, with strict on-farm biosecurity, compliance with the swill feeding ban, and the reporting of all suspicions of notifiable disease promptly – we can avoid a further outbreak.
“Quickly recognising clinical signs of the disease in livestock is vital to controlling and preventing it from spreading.
“In cattle and pigs the signs of disease are usually readily seen; however, sheep do not always show obvious clinical signs. I would urge sheep farmers to be particularly vigilant.”
Agriculture minister Jim Fairlie said: “We have robust contingency plans in place to manage the risk of this disease to protect farmers and our food security.
“The Scottish Government’s preparedness was tested in 2018 through Exercise Blackthorn which simulated a medium to large scale foot and mouth disease outbreak that had spread from England to Wales and Scotland and I am confident in our ability to manage any such occurrence.
“I am urging livestock keepers to remain vigilant for signs of the disease and remind them they have a legal requirement to immediately report any suspicion of disease in Scotland to the local Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) Field Services Office.”
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