Dutch authorities have announced a movement ban on veal calves in the Netherlands following the discovery of livestock links to the area of Germany in which foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) was confirmed on Friday 10 January. Veal calves from the German state of Brandenburg were transported to veal farms in the Netherlands in recent weeks, the Dutch Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries, Food Security and Nature, Femke Marije Wiersema, has said.
Dutch authorities have announced a movement ban on veal calves in the Netherlands following the discovery of livestock links to the area of Germany in which foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) was confirmed on Friday 10 January.
Veal calves from the German state of Brandenburg were transported to veal farms in the Netherlands in recent weeks, the Dutch Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries, Food Security and Nature, Femke Marije Wiersema, has said.
“The Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority will therefore be investigating these establishments in the coming days for the possible presence of FMD,” Wiersma said.
“Until this investigation has been completed, it is necessary from a preventive point of view that veal calves are not moved in order to prevent the virus from spreading further across farms.”
The ban on veal calf movement applies to farm-to-farm movements until further notice. Calves can still move off farm direct to slaughter, under specific hygiene protocols.
The ministerial regulation, published by Wiersema on Saturday 11 January, also orders a ban on visitors to veal farms, and strict hygiene measures for essential visitors such as vets.
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