Livestock markets closed as foot-and-mouth disease spreads

Livestock markets in the provinces of Samsun, Denizli, Diyarbakır and Siirt have been closed as a precautionary measure due to the spread of the SAT-2 serotype foot-and-mouth disease of cattle in Türkiye.

Foot and mouth disease is once again on the agenda of Türkiye, deeply affecting the livestock industry.

Due to the SAT-2 serotype foot-and-mouth disease of cattle seen in different provinces of the country for about two months, animal entry and exit to and from some provinces were banned as a precaution.

Veterinarian Behiye Dündar said in her statement that foot-and-mouth disease is a viral disease that affects cloven-hoofed ruminant animals, and it infects the herd and the barn very quickly, causing serious economic losses.

Explaining that the disease occurs in the form of fever, blisters and sores in animals' mouths, udder, or hairless areas, Dündar noted that because of the fever and stagnation, it restricts the animal's appetite. This causes a loss of milk and meat yield.

She added that it takes months to recover from and deaths usually occur in calves under six months old as it affects their hearts.

She stated the disease can be transmitted by contact with birds, air and soil within the entire herd and even from a distance of 400 meters away.

"It causes a very serious economic loss and almost 50 percent loss in a herd of animals," she said.

Stressing that the disease can only be prevented by vaccination, Dündar said unfortunately, since it is a viral disease, no clear treatment is recommended.

Regular vaccinations and quarantine across the country or area prevent its spread to other regions, albeit to a certain extent, she added.