Altenburger Land: Large-scale exercise to combat foot and mouth disease!

Altenburger Land: Large-scale exercise to combat foot and mouth disease!

What is happening in Altenburger Land? Today, July 9, 2025, the district's veterinary and food surveillance department took part in a comprehensive animal disease exercise. The aim of this large-scale measure was to train people to combat animal diseases, to identify weak points in the processes and to correct them if necessary. Experienced official veterinarians and animal health inspectors were involved in the exercise in order to optimize the processes.

A total of four official veterinarians and two animal health inspectors support the present measures, accompanied by a food inspector. Ronny Thieme, the head of the district's administrative staff, was also on site, although it did not have to be activated. The aim of the exercise was to simulate a hypothetical outbreak of foot and mouth disease (FMD) in which cattle from a restricted zone would be slaughtered and transported to the dairy.

Simulation and processes

The exercise covered the restricted area around the slaughterhouse, with the timely detection and seizure of contaminated products being of key importance. In addition, around 800 cloven-hoofed animals were examined within a three-kilometer radius of the slaughterhouse. Official veterinarian Matthias Thurau said he was positive about the exercise. Communication with the state animal disease crisis center went smoothly and the necessary data on animal transport and inventory levels was compiled promptly.

The importance of such exercises cannot be overemphasized. In the event of an outbreak, local veterinary authorities are often at the limit of their capacity, as recent developments show. FMD, a highly contagious viral disease in even-toed ungulates, was last detected in Brandenburg in January 2025. Given these circumstances, a rapid and coordinated response is essential. In order to minimize the economic consequences, such an exercise is highly relevant.

A closer look at foot and mouth disease

Foot and mouth disease (FMD) is one of the most important animal diseases worldwide, outbreaks of which can cause devastating economic damage. This highly contagious disease affects all cloven-hoofed animals, while there is no health risk to humans. The typical symptoms in cattle are painful blisters in the mouth and claws, which can lead to lameness and reluctance to eat. While Switzerland is considered FMD-free, other regions such as Asia, Africa and South America are affected by the disease.

FMD is transmitted through direct animal contact, excrement or infected animals without symptoms. Although there are vaccines, their use is prohibited in many countries, including Switzerland. Suspected cases must be reported immediately to the responsible veterinarian in order to initiate exclusion tests at an early stage if necessary. Timely detection of this disease can be crucial to preventing major outbreaks, which is why pet owners should be well informed.

In summary, the exercise by the Veterinary and Food Surveillance Service in Altenburger Land shows how important preparation and training are in dealing with animal diseases. It remains to be hoped that such measures will be continued in the future in order to protect our animal populations and avoid economic losses.

The Federal Ministry of Food and Agriculture provides further information on foot and mouth disease BMEL. Detailed details about foot-and-mouth disease are also available from the Federal Office of Veterinary Affairs and Food Safety BLV to find. The Altenburger Land provides information about the progress of the exercises on its website abg-net.de.