|
|
Meat Safety
FMD (also known as foot and mouth disease) affects cloven-hoofed animals, such as cattle, sheep, goats, pigs, deer and buffalo. The symptoms of the disease include fever, excessive salivation, and as its name suggests, blisters in the mouth and on the feet. These blisters eventually rupture to form ulcers and erosions causing animals to abstain from food and show signs of lameness. In most cases, FMD is not life-threatening to animals, however it warrants serious attention. The disease impacts heavily upon exporting countries who are effectively banned from exporting meat to major trading partners.
The Office International des Epizooties (OIE), an organization that produces codes and standards on animal health which form the basis for international arrangements, lists FMD as a List A disease. List A diseases present the greatest threat to livestock industries and export markets. Animals with the disease become unproductive as meat and milk production are impaired. Furthermore, FMD is highly contagious. It can be passed on to other animals through contact with infected animals, animal products, contaminated feed, and may also be spread by air or through vehicle and personnel movement. The virus can survive for 10 to 12 weeks on objects, and for over one year in infected properties. Recovery time is typically two to three weeks, however animals never achieve previous performance levels. Hence, without action in the form of depopulation and isolation, economic losses are sustained continuously.
FMD is not a food safety issue. Consumption of meat from animals with FMD has no adverse health effects for humans. In rare instances, humans working around animals with the disease have developed a low-grade fever and blisters lasting a week.
|
|
