Jeollanam-do to Conduct Monitoring Tests for Foot-and-Mouth Disease Vaccines

Jeollanam-do Animal Hygiene Testing Laboratory has announced plans to conduct monitoring tests for artiodactyl farms, including cattle and goats, from November 1 to December 1.

The purpose of this monitoring test is to verify whether farmers have properly vaccinated their animals against foot-and-mouth disease in the second half of the year, which began on October 1, and to detect any outdoor virus infections.

The test subjects include farms and small-scale farms that have not conducted foot-and-mouth disease vaccine antibody testing this year or have a low vaccine antibody positivity rate. A total of 458 farms will be tested, including 202 farms with less than 50 cows, 202 full-time farms, 36 farms with less than 300 goats, and 18 full-time farms.

Five small-scale farms and 16 full-time farmers will be tested, and those farms whose test results show a positive rate of foot-and-mouth disease vaccine antibodies below the standard (80% for cows and 60% for goats) will be subject to administrative measures such as fines. Additional tests will be conducted after vaccine re-vaccination.

If a positive animal is detected as a result of an outdoor virus infection antibody test, it will be considered a suspected foot-and-mouth disease infection, and quarantine measures will be taken according to the foot-and-mouth disease emergency action guidelines, including movement restrictions and expanded testing.

Jeong Ji-young, director of the Jeonnam Provincial Animal Hygiene Laboratory, emphasized the importance of forming and maintaining antibodies through biosecurity and regular vaccination, stating, “Jeonnam is a clean area where foot-and-mouth disease has not occurred, but it can be introduced at any time.”

In the first half of the year, the Jeonnam Provincial Animal Hygiene Laboratory conducted a monitoring test for foot-and-mouth disease vaccine mass vaccination in May, which showed that 5,143 out of 5,369 animals from 583 farms were antibody positive, with a foot-and-mouth disease vaccine antibody positivity rate of 96%.