Foot-and-mouth disease
Foot-and-mouth disease is prohibited matter under the Biosecurity Act 2014.
FMD outbreaks are common in Asia, the Middle East, South America and parts of Africa. In May 2022, an outbreak of FMD was reported in cattle in Indonesia and in July 2022 in Bali.
International outbreaks are a reminder that animal diseases can spread quickly and do not respect international borders.
FMD is not present in Australia. In the event of an outbreak early detection and reporting would be critical to rapidly contain this disease.
Be vigilant and look for signs of foot-and-mouth disease in your livestock.
Under Queensland legislation, if you suspect the presence of this disease in any species of animal, you must report it to Biosecurity Queensland on 13 25 23 or contact the Emergency Animal Disease Hotline on 1800 675 888.
Prohibited pig feed must not be fed to pigs as it can introduce foot-and-mouth disease and other emergency animal disease.
Visit the eHub for more information and resources about emergency animal disease preparedness.
Although foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) does not currently occur in Australia, livestock owners must have an understanding of FMD in order to minimise the likelihood of an outbreak occurring. You should learn to recognise the clinical signs of FMD and know how to respond quickly and effectively if you suspect that livestock have been infected.
Livestock owners play a key role in recognising and reporting suspected cases of FMD in Queensland.
This guide explains:
- how to recognise the clinical signs of FMD in animals
- how to respond to suspected cases of FMD
- how you can help to prevent FMD, including the ban on feeding prohibited pig feed (swill) to pigs
- what to expect in the event of an FMD outbreak.
- Last reviewed: 22 Jul 2022
- Last updated: 19 Oct 2022