Foot-and-Mouth Disease

Biosecurity New Zealand is closely monitoring outbreaks of foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) in Malaysia, China and Indonesia. FMD is a major biosecurity threat to New Zealand and we all have a role to play in protecting our farms from this highly contagious disease.

FMD affects cloven-hooved animals (animals with two toes). In Aotearoa, this includes cows, pigs, sheep, goats, deer, alpaca, and llama.

Symptoms of FMD

Look out for these signs of FMD in your animals.

If you're concerned about your animals' health or they're showing any of these symptoms, please contact your veterinarian or call the MPI pest and disease hotline (0800 80 99 66) immediately.

High fever for two or three days
Blisters or sores in 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

Resources for veterinarians

Veterinarians play an important role in identifying animals with suspected FMD and notifying the Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) as soon as possible. Below are some resources to help you identify FMD and protect New Zealand farms from the disease.

Resources for farmers

It's important for farmers and lifestyle block owners to maintain strong biosecurity practices, especially if you have workers travelling from countries with reported cases of FMD. Below are some resources to help you protect New Zealand farms from the disease.

Identifying FMD in your animals

Important information for pig owners

Biosecurity planning

What will happen if FMD gets into New Zealand?

Registering your farm with Biosecurity New Zealand

FarmsOnLine: Register your farm and get information to help protect your livelihood and preserve the country's future

Resources for travellers

All travellers entering New Zealand have a role to play in protecting our farms from FMD. Although there is a low risk of FMD entering New Zealand, it is important to follow all biosecurity rules to keep our country safe.

Travellers must declare all goods, equipment, and food that could carry unwanted pests or diseases into New Zealand.
Travellers must declare when they have been in contact with livestock.
Travellers must not bring animal products such as meat into New Zealand.
- From 22 July 2022, travellers are no longer allowed to bring personal consignments of any meat products from Indonesia.
If a traveller visits a farm overseas, they must clean their footwear thoroughly before departure.
When someone arrives in New Zealand from a country with reported cases of FMD, there is a one-week stand down period before they can go onto a New Zealand farm or have contact with susceptible animals.