Animal Diseases and Issues of Current Interest
The recent outbreak of Foot and Mouth Disease in the United Kingdom is a reminder of the potential consequences of animal diseases. The California Department of Food and Agriculture and the United States Department of Agriculture work cooperatively in California to safeguard our food supply. State and federal programs closely monitor and regulate the movement of livestock and animal products. Despite these efforts, the risk of disease introduction is always present. Viruses, bacteria and pests do not respect borders and are capable of entering on imported animals, meat and other products, travelers clothing and shoes, equipment, and other contaminated objects.
Potential Signs of a Foreign Animal Disease
Sudden, unexplained production and death loss in the herd or flock.
Severe illness affecting a high percentage of the animals in a herd, flock, or region.
Blistering around an animal’s mouth, nose, teats, or hooves.
Unusual ticks or maggots.
Livestock Owners
Monitor visitors to your facility.
Keep clean protective clothing and footwear available. Require visitors to wear these items and thoroughly wash their hands prior to entering a livestock facility.
Do not feed food leftovers to your livestock.
Wash hands thoroughly before and after handling animals. This is especially important between groups of animals from different facilities.
Always clean and disinfect equipment used at different facilities
Contact us for more information:
California Department of Food and Agriculture
Animal Health and Food Safety Services, Animal Health Branch
1220 N Street, Room A-107
Sacramento, California 95814
Telephone: (916) 654-1447
Fax: (916) 653-2215
or send an email to: ahbfeedback@cdfa.ca.gov