It is essential that any disease is detected early to enable prompt diagnosis, containment and treatment.

Steps you can take

You can take steps to detect disease early on your farm:

• Use and refresh your Health and Biosecurity Plans regularly with your vet
• Make time to inspect your animals regularly and closely in good light
• Monitor feed intake and mortality rates carefully
• Isolate sick animals immediately
• Contact your vet as soon as you detect a problem

Disease detection and containment is vital for the control of notifiable diseases, which pose threats to the national herd.  Anyone suspecting a notifiable disease is legally obliged to contact their local Animal & Plant Health Agency field office without delay.  This should be done in consultation with your vet.

Reporting notifiable disease

There is a clear process for reporting notifiable diseases:

• You must contact your local Animal & Plant Health Agency (APHA) office immediately if you even suspect notifiable disease
• You should also contact your own vet
• In order to confirm or rule out the presence of notifiable disease, APHA vets will visit your farm to:
  • Conduct a disease investigation, in liaison with your vet
  • Serve precautionary movement restrictions on your animals and farm until a diagnosis can be confirmed, or until disease may be ruled out
  • Samples may be required from your animals for diagnosis of disease
  • The range of control measures will depend upon the particular notifiable disease(s) suspected

Animal & Plant Health Agency provides detailed guidance on all aspects of Notifiable Disease in Animals.