Sadly just as the ban on livestock movements in England was being lifted another case of foot and mouth has now been confirmed. This is a devastating blow for UK farmers and the financial consequences are just huge. The social and emotional impact in rural communities is nothing short of devastating. So how did the virus manage to get from the sites of previous infection to the newly infected site? No one knows for sure at this time but here are some facts about foot and mouth and just how long the disease can survive outside of a host animal.



The foot-and-mouth virus is less symptomatic in sheep so an infection from the first outbreak could have been overlooked
The virus can survive in soil for up to 28 days
It can also survive in water for up to 50 days
Foot-and-mouth can also linger in hay and straw for up to 20 weeks
The incubation period for the disease in an animal is up to 14 days.

Please spare a thought for all the farmers in the UK including alpaca farmers who are facing a very difficult and uncertain time.

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