Scores of cattle culled in Tibet due to foot and mouth disease outbreak
The Chinese Ministry of Agriculture (MOA) reported an outbreak of foot and mouth disease in the Tibetan village of Shigatse, which has affected dozens of cattle.
According to the World Organization for Animal Health (OIE) yesterday, there were 32 cases of foot and mouth disease, and in total, 156 cattle, sheep and goats were culled to prevent the disease from spreading.
“The National Foot-and-Mouth Disease Reference Laboratory on Monday confirmed the cases as type A foot-and-mouth disease,” the Chinese state controlled media added.
Besides the culling of the confirmed and susceptible cases, the following measures were also taken to prevent the spread of the virus–
- Quarantine,
- Movement control inside the country,
- Screening,
- Zoning and
- Disinfection of infected premises/establishment.
According to the USDA, foot-and-mouth disease is a severe, highly contagious viral disease of cattle and swine. It also affects sheep, goats, deer, and other cloven-hooved ruminants. FMD is not recognized as a zoonotic disease.
The disease is characterized by fever and blister like lesions followed by erosions on the tongue and lips, in the mouth, on the teats, and between the hooves. Most affected animals recover, but the disease leaves them debilitated. It causes severe losses in the production of meat and milk.
Since it spreads widely and rapidly and because it has grave economic as well as clinical consequences, FMD is one of the animal diseases that livestock owners dread most.
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