What animals does it affect?
Foot and mouth disease (FMD) is caused by a virus that only infects cloven-hooved animals. An animal is cloven-hooved if its foot is divided in 2. In New Zealand this includes cows, pigs, sheep, goats, deer, alpaca, and llama. The disease doesn't affect other animals, such as rodents, cats, dogs, birds, or horses.
FMD is an animal health disease. It has no significant health impacts on humans. Even though it has a similar name, it differs completely from the human condition, 'hand, foot and mouth disease'.
What you need to know about foot and mouth disease – YouTube
Why is the disease a problem?
FMD spreads quickly and before infected animals show symptoms. Many farms could be infected by FMD before a first case was found in New Zealand.
An outbreak of FMD would have a major impact on susceptible animals, our primary industries, and the economy because:
- it reduces agricultural productivity
- it can be very painful for infected animals
- most export trade in animal products would be significantly disrupted and rural businesses (such as farms, farm contractors, animal processors, and transporters) would be affected.
Economic impact of FMD on New Zealand
The New Zealand Institute of Economic Research (NZIER) has produced 2 assessments (2014 and 2024) of the likely economic impacts of an outbreak of the disease here.
The 2024 report (in 2 parts) reviews and updates the 2014 report and informed a Cabinet decision on how to respond to an FMD incursion.
Foot and mouth disease economic impact assessment (2014) [PDF, 840 KB]
Early detection is vital
Early detection of FMD is vital so we can respond quickly, eradicate the disease as soon as possible, and resume trade in animal products. We would all have a role to play in helping New Zealand recover from an FMD outbreak.
How to recognise foot and mouth disease – Fact sheet [PDF, 367 KB]
It's easy to spread, harder to stop
FMD is highly contagious and can be spread:
- through direct contact between infected and susceptible animals
- when infected meat is fed to susceptible animals
- by objects or people that come into contact with infected animals
- by wind or water – particularly from infected piggeries. The wind can carry the virus up to several hundred kilometres.
Infected animals can spread the virus through:
- breath and saliva
- meat and milk
- manure or other waste products
- semen or blood
- contamination of mud or soil by hooves.
The virus can survive several months without a host (for example, in soil) under favourable conditions.
Signs and symptoms
- High fever for 2 or 3 days.
- Blisters or sores around the mouth, muzzle, feet, and teats.
- Drooling, tooth grinding and chomping.
- Lameness (limping) or a tendency to lie down (pigs may also squeal when walking).
- Shivering or raised temperature.
- Lethargy or depression.
- Drop in milk yield for cows.
- Death of young animals.
Read a clinical description of the disease for vets
Pictures to help you identify symptoms
Infected animals are affected differently and may not show all the symptoms.
Note, these pictures have graphic content that may upset some people.
