Mass Vaccination of 'Cattle and Goat Foot-and-Mouth Disease Vaccine' for Two Weeks Next Month

October 4-18: Over 4.56 Million Cattle and Goats Targeted
Farms Below Antibody Positivity Rate Threshold Face Fines Up to 10 Million Won

The government will conduct a nationwide simultaneous vaccination of cattle and goats against foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) for two weeks starting October 4.

The Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs announced on the 12th that from October 4 to 18, it will carry out the second half-year simultaneous FMD vaccination targeting approximately 4.56 million cattle and goats.

Until now, the vaccination was conducted over six weeks, but since some farms where FMD occurred this year showed antibody positivity rates below the standard, the plan is to quickly administer vaccines within a short period to enhance preventive effects.

Farmers raising vaccinated cattle must report to the relevant city or county office or local livestock cooperative and verify that the vaccination information has been entered into the 'Livestock Product Traceability System.' Goat farmers must record the vaccination status in the 'Foot-and-Mouth Disease Vaccination Implementation Register' and keep it for three years.

Local governments will randomly select farms starting four weeks after vaccination to check whether the vaccination was properly administered by verifying the antibody positivity rates of cattle and goats. The antibody positivity rate standards are 80% for cattle and 60% for goats. Farms with antibody positivity rates below the standard will be fined up to 10 million won, required to revaccinate, and tested every four weeks until the antibody positivity rate improves.

Ahn Yong-deok, Director of the Animal Disease Control Policy Bureau at the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, said, "Since FMD occurred domestically in May this year, it is important for farms to properly and thoroughly vaccinate according to the prescribed methods to prevent recurrence," and urged, "To prevent FMD, please strictly adhere to basic biosecurity measures such as farm quarantine and disinfection along with vaccination."