Cattle on three farms in Slovakia have tested positive for foot-and-mouth disease.
The Slovak authorities have detected the presence of the pathogen in three cattle herds - one in Medve, one in Csiliznyárad and one in Baka.
Local media are reporting that around 2,500 cattle are to be culled from the three farms, with all other susceptible animals within a 3km radius also set to be culled in order to stem the spread of the disease. Animal movement and export restrictions have been put in place.
It is the first case of the disease in Slovakia for 50 years. The farms are located near the Hungarian border, where over 1,000 cattle on one farm tested positive for the disease earlier this month.
Earlier this month, the Department of Agriculture confirmed that there were no movements of foot-and-mouth disease-susceptible species into Ireland from Hungary, Slovakia or Austria since 1 January 2025.
How does it spread?
Foot-and-mouth disease affects many species of animals including cattle, sheep, pigs, goats, deer and other cloven-hoofed animals (that is, animals with a divided hoof). On rare occasions, other species may also be affected.
The Department of Agriculture has advised that the virus does not pose a risk to human health or food safety.
The virus is found in all excretions and secretions from infected animals. Infected animals shed the virus in blister fluid, saliva, milk, expired air, urine and faeces. Animals can shed the virus before clinical signs appear.
It has said that the disease is transmitted to other animals by three main routes:
1. Direct contact between an infected animal and a susceptible animal. For example: animals touching nose to nose across a fence.2. Indirect contact between animals. For example: a contaminated person or vehicle moving between farms, the sharing of equipment between farms or the feeding of contaminated animal products to animals.3. Airborne spread. Infected animals, particularly pigs, can exhale significant amount of virus in their breath; animals on other farms downwind may become infected by this route. More to follow
Read more
Foot-and-mouth found on 1,400 head cattle farm in Hungary
Hungarian foot-and-mouth case not linked to cattle movements
Hungary to bury cattle carcases after foot-and-mouth outbreak
Cattle on three farms in Slovakia have tested positive for foot-and-mouth disease.
The Slovak authorities have detected the presence of the pathogen in three cattle herds - one in Medve, one in Csiliznyárad and one in Baka.
Local media are reporting that around 2,500 cattle are to be culled from the three farms, with all other susceptible animals within a 3km radius also set to be culled in order to stem the spread of the disease. Animal movement and export restrictions have been put in place.
It is the first case of the disease in Slovakia for 50 years. The farms are located near the Hungarian border, where over 1,000 cattle on one farm tested positive for the disease earlier this month.
Earlier this month, the Department of Agriculture confirmed that there were no movements of foot-and-mouth disease-susceptible species into Ireland from Hungary, Slovakia or Austria since 1 January 2025.
How does it spread?
Foot-and-mouth disease affects many species of animals including cattle, sheep, pigs, goats, deer and other cloven-hoofed animals (that is, animals with a divided hoof). On rare occasions, other species may also be affected.
The Department of Agriculture has advised that the virus does not pose a risk to human health or food safety.
The virus is found in all excretions and secretions from infected animals. Infected animals shed the virus in blister fluid, saliva, milk, expired air, urine and faeces. Animals can shed the virus before clinical signs appear.
It has said that the disease is transmitted to other animals by three main routes:
1. Direct contact between an infected animal and a susceptible animal. For example: animals touching nose to nose across a fence.2. Indirect contact between animals. For example: a contaminated person or vehicle moving between farms, the sharing of equipment between farms or the feeding of contaminated animal products to animals.3. Airborne spread. Infected animals, particularly pigs, can exhale significant amount of virus in their breath; animals on other farms downwind may become infected by this route. More to follow
Read more
Foot-and-mouth found on 1,400 head cattle farm in Hungary
Hungarian foot-and-mouth case not linked to cattle movements
Hungary to bury cattle carcases after foot-and-mouth outbreak
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