The UK has an excellent reputation for high standards in animal welfare. The first legislation on animal welfare in the world was implemented here in 1822 by an 'Act to Prevent the Cruel and Improper Treatment of Cattle' - and the UK has led the way ever since.
Avian influenza, or “bird flu” is a contagious viral disease that infects birds. Avian influenza viruses are species specific but do occasionally cross the species barrier to infect humans and other mammals. In poultry, avian influenza causes two main forms of the disease. These are known as the low and high pathogenic forms.
Brucellosis is a bacterial disease caused by Brucella abortus. Infection in pregnant cattle causes abortion or premature calving, with large amounts of bacteria present in the foetus, placenta and uterine fluid. This makes this material extremely infectious to other cattle and also to humans handling it such as farmers and vets.
Tuberculosis is a disease affecting animals and humans. In cattle it is caused by Mycobacterium bovis. However M.bovis can also cause disease in other types of animals, for example badgers and deer, and humans.
Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE) is one of a group of diseases known as the Transmissible Spongiform Encephalopathies (TSEs), so called because they cause a spongy appearance to occur in affected brains.
Foot and Mouth Disease is caused by a virus and causes high fever in infected animals, with blisters in the mouth and feet. The disease rarely kills, but the animal is so severely affected that production of meat and milk is very seriously impaired. The virus can be carried by air droplets borne on the wind, on the wheels of vehicles and on clothing and footwear.
Until the 2001 outbreak of foot and mouth disease Britain had been completely free of the disease for over twenty years, with the previous serious outbreak over thirty years ago.The source of the 2001 outbreak is thought to be from imported infected product, subsequently fed to pigs.
Classical swine fever is a highly contagious virus disease of swine. No other animals are affected. First recognised in Tennessee in 1810, it then rapidly spread around the world. It was first seen in Great Britain in 1864 and controls were instigated in 1878.
VTEC 0157 is a bacterium found worldwide in cattle, sheep and pigs. Abattoir surveys in Great Britain have found it present in the faeces of almost 5% of cattle slaughtered, with a much lower incidence in pigs and sheep. On a herd basis it is possibly present in 30-50% of cattle herds in the general population.
Welcome to our new section covering common livestock breeds found in the UK. We are grateful to all the breed societies that have so far contributed to this guide.
