Foot and Mouth Disease in Livestock: Control Protocols

Foot and mouth disease is one of the most feared viral infections of livestock in Egypt. It moves through cattle, buffalo and sheep with remarkable speed and hits both production and vaccination programmes. The virus does not need an insect vector: it spreads on hands, vehicles, feed, saliva and fine droplets, and its seven serotypes mean one vaccine does not protect against another. In Delta herds it appears as a wave of mouth and hoof blisters with a sharp milk drop, and young calves may die without any visible blister because the heart muscle is attacked.

How the virus spreads between animals

The FMD virus mutates readily and has seven serotypes, so a vaccine against one gives no reliable protection against another. That explains why campaigns using a vaccine that does not match the local serotype often fail. The virus survives for weeks in frozen meat, hide and wool, yet it is destroyed quickly in an acid environment, which is why effective disinfectants are acidic or alkaline, such as sodium hydroxide.

On a farm the virus enters four main ways: a new or returning animal from the market, the hands of workers and vehicles carrying milk or feed, shared drinking water between pens, and droplets carried short distances on the wind. Some animals also remain carriers after recovery and become a silent source for neighbouring herds. Isolating the sick animal alone is therefore not enough; all movement in and out of the farm must stop.

Signs: from fever to blisters

Infection starts with a temperature near 41 degrees Celsius, then the farmer notices heavy salivation, lip smacking, feed refusal and a swollen mouth. Within a day or two, fluid-filled blisters appear on the tongue, gums and dental pad and burst to leave painful ulcers with a red base. Similar blisters form in the space between the hooves and around the teats, producing lameness so severe that the cow will not stand to eat or be milked.

The drop in milk is sudden and can reach 70 percent, recovering only slowly over weeks, and the udder often develops secondary infection through the sores. In young calves the virus attacks heart muscle and the calf may die within hours without obvious blisters, a picture that surprises farmers and makes them suspect feed poisoning. Abortion is possible in early pregnancy, and hooves may slough two weeks after the acute phase.

Diagnosis and reporting: no time to delay

Early diagnosis relies on the clinical picture confirmed in the laboratory, because ulcers alone are not specific. Swabs from blisters, mouth fluid and blood are sent to the veterinary laboratory of the General Authority for Veterinary Services for ELISA or PCR testing. Reporting a suspected case immediately is not bureaucracy: it is what allows the outbreak to be contained before it reaches neighbouring villages.

FMD must be separated from look-alike conditions such as vesicular stomatitis, bluetongue, bovine viral diarrhoea, plant poisoning and necrotic stomatitis. The real difference is the rapid spread across several species and the abrupt fall in milk. Hiding a case or selling an infected animal at market is the most dangerous thing a farmer can do, because it carries infection into dozens of other farms.

Prevention, vaccination and outbreak control

Vaccination is the foundation, but it works only when the vaccine matches the circulating serotype and is given at the right time. Egypt runs national campaigns through villages and veterinary units, and calves should be vaccinated from four months of age with a booster a month later, then revaccinated every six months in high-risk areas. A newborn gains protection from colostrum, so it must suckle within the first two hours of life.

When infection appears, isolate the affected group, stop selling animals and untreated milk, disinfect entrances and vehicles, and keep dedicated boots and workers for the infected shed. Soft feed and green berseem ease mouth pain, the mouth may be rinsed with a diluted antiseptic under veterinary supervision, and antibiotics are used only to prevent secondary infection, never to kill the virus. Immune support with mineral and vitamin supplements from our livestock vitamins helps recovery; practical supplies are listed under medical supplies and livestock and sheep.

• Vaccinate the whole herd with a vaccine matching the circulating serotype and record batch numbers.
• Do not admit new animals without a three-week veterinary quarantine.
• Keep dedicated boots and clothing for each shed and wash them with disinfectant daily.
• Wash workers hands before and after milking and disinfect the milking equipment.
• Never sell or move a suspect animal to a livestock market.
• Call the veterinary unit immediately when drooling or mouth ulcers appear.

Conclusion

FMD is beaten by matched vaccination and fast reporting, not by antibiotics. A farm that blocks new animals, disinfects its entrances and vaccinates on schedule loses far less than one that waits for blisters to appear. Always work with a licensed veterinarian before treating or vaccinating.

This article is general guidance and is not a substitute for examining your animal by a licensed veterinarian. In emergencies, contact your vet immediately.