Foot and Mouth Disease January 2025 (DAFM Notice)

A case of Foot and Mouth Disease was diagnosed in Germany on January 10^th. On March 6th 2025 Hungary confirmed an outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease, its first case in many decades. The disease was detected in a dairy farm in Northern Hungary, close to the Slovakian border. The virus serotype is not known yet and investigation is underway to determine the source of the infection. There have been no movements of foot-and-mouth susceptible species (cattle, sheep, goats, pigs, buffalo, camelids) into Ireland from Hungary or its neighbours Slovakia and Austria since 1st Jan 2025.

Horses cannot become infected or ill from FMD. However, they, and their transport vehicles could facilitate spread of the virus.All equine owners are encouraged to exercise additional vigilance at this time in particular around animal and transport hygiene and biosecurity. Equine movements from Hungary or Slovakia into Ireland are strongly discouraged whilst this outbreak is ongoing.

FMD Info Note for Equine Stakeholders 7.3.25

FMD no 2 of 2025

Background

FMD is one of the most contagious diseases that affects livestock, caused by the Foot and Mouth Disease Virus (FMDV)
FMDV affects several species of animal inc. cattle, sheep, pigs, goats, deer, and other cloven-hoofed animals (i.e., animals with a divided hoof)

The virus can be spread by:

Direct contact between infected and susceptible animals
Indirect contact between animals e.g., a contaminated person or vehicle moving between farms, sharing of equipment between farms, feeding of contaminated animal products to animals
Airborne spread i.e., when infected animals (especially pigs) exhale significant amount of virus in their breath and wind spread passes on the virus to animals in the surrounding area
Horses cannot get infected or sick from FMD; however, they could play a significant role in spread of the virus should they be carrying it on themselves or their transport vehicles
An outbreak of FMD would likely have very serious consequences on Ireland’s agricultural sector, including the equine sector, as well as the economy as a whole.

Ireland is currently free from Foot and Mouth disease, and all efforts must be made to ensure the disease does not break out in this country.

Actions to Take to Help Keep FMD Out of Ireland:

All equine owners are strongly encouraged to review and optimise their biosecurity protocols, especially those who also have at-risk species for FMD on-site or in close proximity to them.
All horse owners are strongly recommended to avoid bringing horses from Germany into Ireland whilst this FMD outbreak is ongoing, especially from farms that also have at-risk species for FMD on-site or in close proximity to them.
If there is an absolute need to move an equine animal from Germany to Ireland, then additional care should be taken to ensure a high level of cleanliness of both the animals and their transport vehicle, both before leaving Germany, and again at arrival at their final destination here in Ireland.
Please refer to these guidelines for a step-by-step guide on how to correctly disinfect transport vehicles.
Separately, if you intend to independently travel to a country that is affected by FMD, you should exercise additional precaution before returning to Ireland.
Please familiarise yourself with this guidance note on the steps that need to be taken prior to arriving back into the country

For more information on FMD, please refer to the FMD page on the www.gov.ie website

Please send any queries in relation to FMD to ndcc@agriculture.gov.ie

REMEMBER: If you suspect FMD in an animal you are legally obliged to report it to the Dept. of Agriculture, Food, and the Marine:

Contact your local Regional Veterinary Office or the National Disease emergency Hotline on 01 492 8026 (outside of office hours) to report the suspect case, and
Do not allow people, animals, vehicles, carcases, or anything else associated with animals off the farm until further advice has been given to you by the Dept. of Agriculture Food and the Marine