Foot-and-mouth disease in Germany: the pig industry is holding its breath

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On 10 January 2025, an outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) was detected on a farm in Brandenburg, near Berlin, for the first time in almost four decades. The disease was detected in a herd of water buffaloes, where three animals died from the serotype O virus. 14 buffaloes were kept on the farm, and the rest were immediately destroyed. This case prompted an immediate response from the German authorities and the international community, as foot-and-mouth disease is one of the most contagious diseases of ungulates, although it does not pose a threat to humans.

Immediate measures in Germany

Following the confirmation of the diagnosis, the German authorities introduced a number of restrictions:

  • Safety and surveillance zones: An exclusion zone (1 km) and a surveillance zone (3 km) were established around the farm. All animals within the safety zone were destroyed, including 170 pigs on a neighbouring farm, as well as 55 sheep, goats and three cows at another location belonging to the same producer.
  • Transport ban: Brandenburg and Berlin imposed a complete ban on the transport of cloven-hoofed animals for 72 hours.
  • Testing: Selective testing of animals within a 3km radius of the epicentre of the disease is being carried out to detect the possible spread of the virus.

Export implications.

The FMD outbreak has had a serious impact on international trade:

  • South Korea immediately banned imports of German pork and isolated 360 tonnes of already imported products for testing.
  • The UK banned imports of German meat and dairy products to prevent the spread of the disease.
  • EU: The EU's internal market is subject to regionalisation rules, so exports from Brandenburg have been halted, but the rest of Germany is still trading.

International measures.

The outbreak in Germany has also raised concerns in neighbouring countries:

  • The Netherlands: 125 farms that imported calves from Brandenburg have been temporarily shut down. Around 3,600 calves imported since December are now being checked. The country has banned the transport of calves except for slaughter.
  • British exhibition Grüne Woche: The organisers have ruled out the participation of cloven-hoofed animals such as cows, sheep, and goats due to the risk of foot-and-mouth disease spread.

Virus origin and potential threats

The origin of the outbreak remains uncertain. The farmer on whose farm the disease was detected adheres to organic farming methods and uses only his own feed. Serotype O is known to be widespread in the Middle East and Asia. In Germany, this strain is stored in an antigen bank, which allows for the rapid production of a vaccine.

Experts warn that the virus could have a devastating impact on the German agricultural sector, including pork, milk and beef production, if it is not contained quickly.

Calls for urgent action

The German Farmers Association is calling on the authorities to step up efforts to prevent the spread of the disease. Agriculture Minister Femke Wiersma called for close cooperation at the EU level to quickly contain the outbreak and minimise losses for farmers.

This outbreak has become a serious challenge for the German agricultural sector, as well as for the international community, which is closely monitoring the developments.

PigUA.info based on materials from www.pigprogress.net

 

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