This work is carried out by our animal health and welfare inspectors. Their duties include ensuring livestock is correctly identified and is moved with the required movement documents and cattle passports. Inspectors carry out checks of records at farms, markets, slaughterhouses and during transportation to ensure that there is full traceability of livestock movements. To reduce the risk of disease outbreak the inspectors also ensure that carcases are disposed of by the correct methods.

The animal health and welfare team also provides advice and assistance to North Yorkshire farmers and traders on the animal health and welfare legislation.

Prevention and control of animal infectious diseases is a large part of the teams remit. Below you will find brief details on the main "notifiable" infectious diseases that can affect animals. As all of these diseases are notifiable, you must notify your local Animal Health office if you suspect any of these diseases are present in your animals. For North Yorkshire the contact details for reporting suspect animals to Animal Health Veterinary Laboratories Agency (AHVLA) for the Yorkshire and Humber region are 01132 796121.

Anthrax

Anthrax is an acute and fatal disease caused by a bacterium called Bacillus Anthracis. All species of animal including humans can be affected by the virus. Among cattle and sheep, the illness period is short and animals may die without showing signs of illness. Anthrax is not always fatal for cattle and sheep and the animals may be ill for several days. In pigs and horses the disease is usually fatal but takes a longer time to affect the animal.

Signs of anthrax to look for in sheep and cattle are:

• High temperature
• Shivering
• Twitching
• Dry coats
• Loss of appetite

Signs of anthrax to look for in horses and pigs are:

• Hot, painful swelling around the neck
• Loss of appetite

Avian Influenza (Bird Flu)

Avian Influenza is a highly contagious disease affecting many species of birds, including commercial, wild and pet birds. There are two types of the virus, Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) and Low Pathogenic Avian Influenza (LPAI). They are categorized into these two types depending on the diseases ability to spread.

Signs of avian influenza in birds are:

• Swelling of the head (oedema)
• Cyanosis (blue discolouration) to the neck and throat
• Dullness
• Loss of appetite
• Respiratory problems
• Diarrhoea
• Drop in egg production

Birds can be affected with low pathogenic avian influenza and not show any signs.

Bluetongue Virus

Bluetongue Virus is a disease of animals that affects all ruminants (sheep, cattle, goats, deer and camelids). Bluetongue does not affect horses, pigs or humans. The disease is caused by a virus which is spread through biting midges. The spread of the virus is most likely in the summer and autumn months, when the midge is at its highest population.

Signs to watch for in sheep and cattle are:

• Nasal Discharge
• Conjunctivitis
• Swelling and ulceration in the mouth
• Swelling of the head and neck
• Excess amounts of saliva

Deaths in sheep flocks caused by the virus can reach as high as 70 per cent. Animals that survive the disease can lose condition with a reduction in meat and wool production. In cattle, the disease requires laboratory testing for confirmation.

Classical Swine Fever (CSF) and African Swine Fever (ASF)

Classical Swine Fever (CSF) and African Swine Fever (ASF) are highly contagious diseases in pigs, each caused by a virus. CSF and ASF have similar symptoms and therefore laboratory testing is necessary to distinguish between them. The main source of CSF appears to be from pigs eating infected pork or pork products. Equally the movement of infected pigs is a possible method of spreading CSF.

Symptoms to look for:

• High temperature
• Dullness
• Loss of appetite
• Vomiting
• Diarrhoea
• Reddening or darkening of the skin, particularly ears and snout
• Difficulty breathing
• Coughing
• Runny eyes (conjunctivitis)
• Abortion, still births and weak litters

Classical Swine Fever can have a high mortality rate, with a high percentage of sick pigs dying.

Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD)

Foot and Mouth Disease is an infectious disease that affects cloven-hoofed animals like cattle sheep, pigs, goats and deer. FMD also affects camelids and elephants.

FMD is highly contagious and has serious effects on animal's health and the economics of the livestock industry. FMD is not normally fatal to adult animals, however it is debilitating, causing lameness and it can reduce productivity as milk yields may drop. Foot and Mouth Disease has more serious affects on young livestock and a higher mortality rate.

Signs to watch for in cattle, sheep and pigs:

• Severe lameness
• Sores and blister on the feet
• Animals lying down or finding it difficult to walking
• Sores and blisters in and around the mouth or on the tongue

Newcastle Disease

Newcastle Disease is a highly contagious disease spread amongst most birds. Birds affected by this disease include fowls, turkeys, geese, ducks, pheasants, guinea fowl and other wild and captive birds, including ratites such as ostriches, emus and rhea.

Signs to look for:

• Depression
• Loss of appetite
• Respiratory Problems
• Coughing
• Sneezing

The disease can cause high mortality rates and the above symptoms are also very similar to Avian Influenza.

Rabies

Rabies is a fatal disease of the nervous system that can affect all mammals; this includes humans, cats, dogs, farmed animals and wildlife.

The disease is spread by the bite of an infected animal as the virus is present in the saliva.

Signs to look for:

• Behavioural changes
• Anxious
• Irritable
• Drool saliva
• Excited
• Aggressive
• Finally the animal will become paralysed and die, this usually happens 15 days after the first signs of the disease.

Classical rabies was eradicated in land animals in the UK in 1992, quarantine requirements and the pets passport scheme help to keep the UK rabies free.

A strain of rabies called European Bat Lyssavirus (EBLV 2) has been detected in some species of bats in the UK.

West Nile Virus (WNV)

West Nile Virus is a viral infection that effect birds, horses and humans. The virus is spread by insects mainly mosquitoes by biting infected birds and contracting the virus. The mosquito will then pass this virus onto humans and horses when they are bitten. This then causes encephalitis (inflammation of the brain) and meningitis (inflammation of the brain and spinal cord).

The horse seems the most susceptible to infection but most cases are sub-clinical with the horse showing no obvious signs of disease. But sometimes infected animals will develop a fever or encephalitis.

For more information on all notifiable diseases please visit the Defra website

Voluntary poultry register If you keep less than fifty birds, we can keep you updated in the event of an avian influenza outbreak. Why not register here?