Ý ß  Glossary & References / Miscellaneous Documents List /  D35 Discussion Documents for the 2001 UK Foot-and-Mouth Disease Outbreak / Text Sections:

Published Discussion Documents and Official Risk Assessments for the 2001 UK Foot-and-Mouth Disease Outbreak
Click here for CONTENTS Page
The informationis replicated directly and unabridged with the kind permission of the Ministry of Agriculture, Farms and Fisheries. Further information may be found on http://www.maff.gov.uk

Wildpro Reference Code: W32.Apl01.sib4

Click to return to Title Page - "FMD Discussion Documents"

This document was produced by MAFF as a specific response to the FMD outbreak in the UK in 2001 and was made available on their website. Risk Assessments and specific recommendations related to the conditions in the field at the time and should be viewed in this context as they may not be applicable to outbreaks occuring under different circumstances.
Foot and mouth disease
9 April 2001

MAFF: Veterinary Risk Assessment No.3: Bulk Feed Delivery to Form D premises by lorry

1. RISK FACTORS

  1. External contamination of delivery vehicle or driver with FMD virus.
  2. Feed infected before loading vehicle.
  3. Feed infected by air which is drawn into vehicle whilst delivering a part load at Form D premises.

2. MANAGEMENT OPTIONS

  1. Clean and disinfect vehicle before loading, and before entry or leaving each delivery premises.
  2. Driver to wear protective clothing and footwear, clean and disinfected at entry and exit.
  3. iDeliver entire load to single premises.

3. RECOMMENDED ACTION

  1. Bulk feed deliveries direct to single Form D premises, or as the last delivery in a round (the previous deliveries being to non-form D premises) carry no risk beyond external contamination of vehicle and personnel. They can continue.
  2. UKASTA argue that the number of Form D premises makes the above protocol, which has been followed until now, impractical. They wish to make part-load deliveries to more than one Form D premises in a round that will comprise only Form D premises.
  3. Concern has been raised that, when discharging a part load, the space which is created is filled with unfiltered air drawn in whilst unloading, and that this air will contain enough FMD virus particles to infect the feed and so animals to which it is fed on the premises to which it is delivered.
  4. Nothing is impossible, but the chance of airborne virus contaminating feed by being drawn into a closed compartment in this way, on premises where there seem to be no lesioned animals and the vehicle will not enter animal buildings, is extremely remote. It is, however, greater on pig units than where there are only cattle and/or sheep. Serial deliveries to Form D premises where there are cattle or sheep should be permitted, but not to premises where there are pigs. These should continue, as now, to be the only, or last delivery.

Contributors:

Dr A Donaldson IAH Pirbright Laboratory
K C Taylor Veterinary Consultant

16th March 2001

Return to top of page