A grazing ban has been imposed in an area of Hungary in an attempt to curb the spread of foot-and-mouth disease (FMD).

The ban was introduced this Tuesday, along 10km of the border with Slovakia until 7 April.

This comes as cattle on a farm tested positive for the disease on the Hungarian side of the border in early March, followed by an outbreak of FMD in cattle on three Slovakian farms on the other side of the border last week.

These are the first cases in both countries in 50 years. All cloven-hoofed animals on farms where FMD was detected were culled.

Alongside the grazing ban imposed by Hungary’s chief vet, cattle and sheep must be kept in sheds and the slaughter of pigs by the end of March will be mandatory in the surveillance area near Slovakia.

Pigs

A statement from the Hungarian government said pigs can play a significant role in the spread of the virus.

“The epidemiological risk can be significantly reduced by slaughtering the pig population, which farmers must do in the limited area by 31 March,” it said.

Livestock on over 300 farms in Hungary have been tested for FMD as of Tuesday 25 March

The owners of the animals are entitled to compensation up to the market value of the animals that are not yet ready for slaughter or kept for slaughter.

The government also recommended “to slaughter susceptible animals in the 10km strip along the border”, which in some cases will receive state compensation.

Livestock on over 300 farms in Hungary have been tested for FMD as of Tuesday 25 March.

Meanwhile, in Slovakia, no further cases of the disease have been reported. Vaccinations for FMD were brought in by the army and administered by a specialist group of vets in two areas where there were outbreaks.

Germany

In January, German authorities confirmed an outbreak of the disease on a farm in Brandenburg.

The outbreak involved a herd of 14 buffaloes, three of which tested positive for the virus.

The rest of the herd was culled and destroyed. No further cases of FMD were identified after rapid testing of neighbouring farm.

FMD is a highly contagious viral disease that mainly affects cloven-hoofed animals such as cattle, pigs, sheep, goats, buffaloes and wild ruminants.

The main symptoms of the disease include fever, loss of appetite, salivation and the appearance of blisters in the mouth and on the ends of the feet.