March 26, 2025

 

Czech Republic bans livestock imports from Slovakia amid foot-and-mouth concerns

The Czech Republic has imposed an immediate ban on livestock imports from Slovakia following reports of a suspected foot-and-mouth disease outbreak on Slovak farms.

 

Czech Agriculture Minister Marek Výborný announced the decision, stating that authorities in Slovakia had informed their Czech counterparts of a highly probable outbreak of the disease at two cattle farms.

 

Border controls were introduced, including restrictions on the movement of livestock. Farmers and breeders were also prohibited from entering Slovakia or having contact with animals from affected farms.

 

The outbreak in Slovakia was detected on two cattle farms housing a total of 1,300 animals. These farms are located near the Hungarian border, where a separate outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease was confirmed two weeks ago. The earlier case was identified on a farm in Kisbajcs, Hungary, which has a herd of 1,400 cattle.

 

Following the outbreak in Hungary, the Czech Republic had initially imposed restrictions on livestock imports but lifted them earlier in the week.

 

Foot-and-mouth disease has reappeared in Europe in recent months. In January, a case was reported in a buffalo herd in Germany. The virus affects cloven-hoofed animals such as cattle, sheep, goats and pigs. It spreads rapidly within herds and causes fever, weight loss, and painful blisters on the feet and inside the mouths of infected animals. These blisters can rupture, leading to lameness.

 

The disease spreads through direct contact between animals, airborne transmission, and contaminated surfaces, including vehicle tires, animal feed and clothing.

 

The last recorded outbreak in Europe occurred in Bulgaria in 2011. The virus remains endemic in regions of Africa, Asia and the Middle East.

 

One of the most severe outbreaks in recent history took place in the UK in 2001. More than six million animals were culled to contain the disease, resulting in an economic loss estimated at nearly EUR 6 billion (US$6.4 billion).

 

- TVP World