The Livestock Project just posted new resources. The reportable and foreign animal disease FAQ and infographic are available on our website in the Resource section: Reportable and FAD FAQ for organic/alternative producers.
With highly pathogenic avian influenza making its way across the US, and African Swine Fever in our hemisphere, it’s more important than ever to have this information close at hand. To see the entire FAD FAQ go to the Resource section of our website. For reportable and foreign animal disease information specific to organic and alternative livestock owners, see below.
As an organic or alternative livestock producer, should I have any unique concerns about reportable animal diseases (RDs) and foreign animal diseases (FADs)?
Organic producers and some alternative producers do not use antibiotics for their livestock or poultry. When disease does strike, treatment options are limited. The stronger your disease prevention program, the safer your farm or ranch will be from disease entering. This is true for common diseases, zoonotic diseases, RDs, and foreign animal diseases.
Some reportable diseases have vaccines for certain species (e.g., Rabies, Anthrax, West Nile Virus, and Marek’s Disease). Some (but not all) FADs have vaccines as well that are only used during an outbreak. Some organic and alternative producers do not vaccinate their livestock. Unvaccinated animals will be more vulnerable to disease and suffer more severe illnesses than vaccinated animals. For this reason, a strong disease prevention program is essential.
Important points for organic and alternative producers to keep in mind during a FAD outbreak in the US
Livestock and poultry producers are responsible for preventing their animals from becoming infected and preventing infection from spreading to other farms if they become infected.
Producers can request permission not to have their animals vaccinated from the state or federal authorities in charge of the outbreak response. There isn’t a simple answer to what happens if a producer of any size doesn’t want to vaccinate their livestock or poultry. It will depend upon the disease, the species affected, the duration of the outbreak, and the geographical scope of the outbreak.
Any livestock producer who refuses to have their animal vaccinated during a FAD outbreak could lose the ability to collect indemnity for euthanized animals.
FOR MORE INFORMATION:
List of State Animal Health Officials
National list of human reportable diseases