Press release

Import ban of cattle, pigs, sheep, and deer from Austria to protect farmers

The government has stepped up measures to prevent the spread of foot and mouth disease (FMD).

• From: Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs and Daniel Zeichner MP
• Published: 28 March 2025

The government has stepped up measures to prevent the spread of foot and mouth disease (FMD), following a further confirmed case in Hungary, close to the Austrian border.바카라 사이트¯Â 

Due to the proximity of the new Hungarian case to the Austrian border, the decision has been made to suspend the commercial import from Austria of cattle, pigs, sheep, goats, wild ruminants and porcines (including deer and wild boar), and their untreated products such as fresh meat and dairy. 바카라 사이트¯Â 

The UK 바카라 사이트 had already taken action to suspend the commercial import of these products from Slovakia, Hungary and Germany.바카라 사이트¯바카라 사이트¯Â 

Action is already underway with local authorities and traders to address possible risks from goods on the way to GB. Such goods must be pre-notified and wider border systems in place will prevent consignments entering GB.바카라 사이트¯Â 

In addition, travellers can no longer bring meat, meat products, milk and dairy products, certain composite products and animal by products of pigs and ruminants (including non-domestic species), or hay or straw, from Austria.  

This is in addition to the action already taken by the UK 바카라 사이트 to prevent the personal import of these products from Germany, Hungary and Slovakia to Great Britain.

The UK Chief Veterinary Officer is urging livestock keepers to remain vigilant to the clinical signs of FMD following the recent outbreaks in Hungary and Germany. There are no cases in the UK currently.바카라 사이트¯Â 

FMD poses no risk to human or food safety, but is a highly contagious viral disease of cattle, sheep, pigs and other cloven-hoofed animals such as wild boar, deer, llamas and alpacas. Livestock keepers should therefore be absolutely rigorous about their biosecurity.바카라 사이트¯Â 

FMD causes significant economic losses due to production losses in the affected animals as well as loss of access to foreign markets for animals, meat and milk for affected countries.바카라 사이트¯바카라 사이트¯바카라 사이트¯Â 

UK Chief Veterinary Officer Christine Middlemiss said:바카라 사이트¯Â 

Following the detection of a second foot and mouth disease case in Hungary, with a restriction area crossing the border into Austria, we have taken action to prevent the commercial import of potentially risky goods from Austria.바카라 사이트¯Â 

I would urge livestock keepers to continue exercising the upmost vigilance for signs of disease, ensure scrupulous biosecurity is maintained and to report any suspicion of disease immediately to the Animal and Plant Health Agency.

Farming Minister Daniel Zeichner said:

We will continue to protect our nation바카라 사이트™s farmers from the risk posed by foot and mouth disease.바카라 사이트¯Â 

This is why we have acted immediately to impose import restrictions on Austria, we will continue to keep the situation under review and will not hesitate to add additional countries to the list if the disease continues to spread further.

What you can do바카라 사이트¯바카라 사이트¯바카라 사이트¯Â 

If you바카라 사이트™re an animal keeper, read about how to spot foot and mouth disease and report it.바카라 사이트¯바카라 사이트¯바카라 사이트¯Â 

If you바카라 사이트™re an importer or exporter, read about the import restrictions for foot and mouth disease.바카라 사이트¯바카라 사이트¯Â 

Clinical signs to be aware of vary depending on the animals, but in cattle the main signs are sores and blisters on the feet, mouth and tongue with potentially a fever, lameness and a reluctance to feed. In sheep and pigs, signs tend to manifest with lameness with potential for blistering.바카라 사이트¯바카라 사이트¯바카라 사이트¯바카라 사이트¯바카라 사이트¯Â 

While horses and companion animals are not susceptible to FMD, hay feed or straw bedding, if sourced from an infected area, could act as a fomite and therefore also prevented from entering GB.바카라 사이트¯Â 

Maintaining good biosecurity is essential to protecting the health and welfare of herds and critical to preventing the spread of diseases such as FMD and preventing an outbreak spreading.바카라 사이트¯바카라 사이트¯바카라 사이트¯Â 

Foot and mouth disease is a notifiable disease and must be reported. If you suspect foot and mouth disease in your animals, you must report it immediately by calling:바카라 사이트¯바카라 사이트¯바카라 사이트¯Â 

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• 0300 303 8268 in Wales바카라 사이트¯바카라 사이트¯바카라 사이트¯바카라 사이트¯Â 

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For more information, visit:바카라 사이트¯

Published 28 March 2025