 What you need to know about foot and mouth disease. Foot and mouth disease is a very contagious viral disease which affects cows, sheep, goats, pigs and other animals such as wild boar. The disease causes serious production losses even if not all animals die from the virus. An outbreak in a country can result in a major block to international trade. Humans cannot become ill from their disease but they can play an important role in spreading it to animals through dirty clothes, vehicles and other equipment. The signs of FMD are variable and depend on the animals. In cattle, the disease can be severe and you may notice depression, high fever, not eating or difficulty eating, decrease in milk production, increased salivation, blisters followed by lesions on the muzzle, inside the mouth, on the feet and teats. Occasionally, it can cause sudden death in young calves. In pigs, the disease can be severe and you may notice an inability to stand with some animals in a sitting position. Lesions on the feet, sudden death in piglets. In sheep and goats, the disease is not that evident and you may notice small blisters just above the feet. Sudden death in young sheep and goats. FMD can be found in all fluids from infected animals. The virus can spread very easily through any of the following ways. The most common is through direct contact between an infected animal and a healthy one. Contaminated materials such as hay, feed, water, milk, urine and others. Dirty clothing, footwear or equipment. Contaminated pens, buildings or contaminated animal transport vehicles. Meat or other products which come from diseased animals if fed to animals when raw or improperly cooked. And in certain weather conditions, it can spread through the wind from a nearby farm. Contact your veterinarian or local authority immediately if you suspect your herd is infected with FMD. Do not move any animals from the farm and limit any movement of people to and from the farm. A veterinarian will come and look at the animals and take samples to send to the laboratory. The laboratory will examine the samples and confirm the presence or absence of the virus. Once FMD has been confirmed, measures will be put in place to stop the disease spreading to other farms. Farmers whose farms or animals have been in contact with the farm where the disease is present will also be contacted by the local authority or veterinarian. Everyone has a role to play in ensuring that your community and country remain free from the virus. By staying alert and reporting suspected cases of FMD, you can make a difference. Thank you for your attention.