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Keep new animals isolated from other animals already on the premises for at least 14 days, and care for these isolated animals last, then shower, change clothes, and clean and disinfect boots before moving to other areas of the farm. Check these isolated animals daily for any signs of illness..
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Treat any animals that have been to a fair or show as if they were new animals. Keep them isolated from the other animals for at least 14 days, care for them last, then shower, change clothes, and clean and disinfect boots before moving to other areas of the farm. Check them daily for any signs of illness.
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If you have taken horses along to the fair, when you return home, keep them isolated from livestock on the farm for 14 days. Although horses are not susceptible to FMD and many other livestock diseases, they can act as carriers of the diseases and should be kept away from livestock for 14 days for this reason.
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Do not allow visitors who have traveled from a Foot and Mouth Disease-infected country to enter your property. If they must, have them shower upon arrival, and provide clean clothing and shoes for them. Any items that accompanied them should be cleaned and then disinfected with a cloth dipped in a mild bleach solution (2.5 oz. bleach per gallon of water).
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Pets that have traveled from a foreign country should be bathed and rinsed in a vinegar solution (50% vinegar in water).
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Do not allow pets to roam freely on your property: They may become carriers of the FMD virus or other diseases and spread disease to susceptible animals
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Limit the traffic onto your property, both human and vehicular.
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Any supplies or equipment that was taken to the fair should be cleaned and disinfected again before it is taken back to the farm.
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If supplies or pieces of equipment are shared between farms, they should be cleaned and disinfected between farms.
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Observe your livestock daily for any unusual behavior, especially lameness, decreased appetite, increased salivation, and blisters. Report any suspicious animals immediately to the USDA or PDA, or to your veterinarian. The Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture has an after-hours answering machine that will alert the veterinarian on call to return an emergency call.
