April 3, 2001

Contact: Karen R. Cooper, APR

Public Information Officer

406-444-9431

FMD RESPONSE PROTOCOL ESTABLISHED BY DOL

“Montana State Law already provides for the restriction of the importation of diseased animals from other states or countries, but the Montana Department of Livestock has recently issued a specific prevention and response protocol for Foot-and-Mouth Disease,” said Marc Bridges, executive officer for the Department of Livestock (DOL). The complete Montana Foot-and-Mouth Prevention & Response Protocol is available on the DOL web page at www.liv.state.mt.us.

In addition to DOL’s developed plan for the state, Governor Judy Martz has been in contact with U.S. Agriculture Secretary Ann Veneman, urging her to use all practical livestock disease prevention practices, means and measures to protect the health and well being of the livestock of Montana.

The Foot-and-Mouth Disease (FMD) prevention portion of the Protocol for Montana is a four-part plan. No cloven-hoofed animals originating from a known FMD country or region will be allowed to enter Montana until six months after the country has been declared free from FMD. Horses originating from an FMD country will be denied entrance into Montana until six months after the country of origin is declared FMD-free. Companion animals, such as cats, dogs and exotic animals, from a known FMD country destined for a Montana rural location will have the same restrictions. Montana will make available the preventative measures to livestock industry organizations, public livestock markets, Montana-accredited veterinary practitioners and USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, Veterinary Services.

If a case of FMD is suspected, the Protocol includes a 13-step response plan. Vesicular diseases in cloven-hoofed animals will be handled as FMD unless vesicular stomatitis has been previously diagnosed in a horse. Vesicular diseases will immediately be given the highest priority to be examined, and appropriate specimens will be collected and transported to a federal foreign animal disease lab. The premises and all animals on the premises will be quarantined, and information concerning biosecurity will be provided to the operator. A 20-mile radius quarantine area will be established that will include an inner five-mile “high risk” zone and an outer 15-mile “buffer zone.” All area slaughter/packing facilities, livestock auctions, and markets will be closed until there is a laboratory confirmation that the vesicular disease is not FMD. If FMD is confirmed, the markets will remain closed as needed to control the movement of livestock. An FMD diagnosis would result in a continued quarantine of the “high risk” premises and animals. The animals within the “buffer zone” will be on a hold order and vaccinated with appropriate FMD strain vaccine, if it is available.

“An epidemiology investigation, including efforts with USDA APHIS, would be initiated immediately upon notification of a positive FMD diagnosis,” Bridges said. “Resources would be made available as needed to aid in enforcement of the quarantines and zone integrity to avoid movement of animals and minimize human ingress and egress of the FMD zone.”

FMD is currently affecting four of the world’s seven continents, leaving only North America, Australia and Antarctica free of the disease. The U.S. has been free of FMD since 1929. Montana Department of Livestock records dating back to 1907 do not show any cases of FMD. Montana has 28,000 farms and ranches, 2.6 million cattle, 370,000 sheep and 150,000 hogs.

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