This document was produced by MAFF as a specific response to the FMD outbreak in the UK in 2001 and was made available on their website. Risk Assessments and specific recommendations related to the conditions in the field at the time and should be viewed in this context as they may not be applicable to outbreaks occuring under different circumstances.
Foot and mouth disease
Taken from Website June 2001

FMD: Restocking Form A premises: A farmers guide

Farmers whose animals have been slaughtered as part of the Government's foot and mouth disease control strategy will need to think carefully about the business options open to them. Nick Brown said that the Government would be playing its part by providing advice. The following guidance sets out the mechanics of the restocking process, which is one of the factors that farmers will want to take in to account in considering their options.

1. First, cleansing and disinfection have to be completed and signed off. The Inspector in charge of the Local Disease Emergency Control Centre (DECC) will sign off the premises after they have visited and inspected your farm.

2. Twenty-one days then have to elapse.

3. When you wish to restock you must apply to MAFF for a licence to move animals onto your Form A premises. Whether or not a licence is issued will depend on the local disease situation. Clarification of the procedure for obtaining these licences will be provided in due course.

Cattle

4. If you wish to restock with cattle they must be introduced to all parts of your farm that previously contained cattle. We will visit and inspect the cattle for the clinical signs of disease, once a week for four weeks.

5. Four weeks after the last animal arrived we will blood sample a random selection of the cattle for the presence of Foot and Mouth Disease antibodies.

6. Form A restrictions will only be lifted if none of the animals develops any clinical signs of Foot and Mouth Disease and the results of all blood tests are negative.

Sheep & Goats

7. If you wish to restock with sheep/goats they must be introduced to all parts of your farm that previously contained sheep/goats. We will visit and inspect them once a week for four weeks.

8. Four weeks after the last animal arrived we will blood sample a random selection of the sheep/goats for the presence of Foot and Mouth Disease antibodies.

9. Form A restrictions will only be lifted if none of the animals develops any clinical signs of Foot and Mouth Disease and the blood results are all negative.

Mixed restocking

10. If you wish to restock with cattle and sheep/goats you may do so. All the groups of animals will be serologically sampled.

11. Form A restrictions will only be lifted if none of the animals develops any clinical signs of Foot and Mouth Disease and the blood results are all negative.

Pigs

12. If you wish to reintroduce pigs a small number of sentinel pigs will be allowed onto all parts of the farm that previously contained pigs. We will visit and inspect them during the first twenty-eight days, twice weekly for the first two weeks and then weekly for the next two weeks.

13. Full restocking may only take place if none of the sentinel pigs develop any clinical signs of Foot and Mouth Disease during the twenty-eight day period.

No Restocking

14. If the farm is not to be restocked, Form A restrictions will be lifted after four months, subject to the Final Inspection being satisfactorily completed.

Final Inspection

15. We will carry out a final inspection of your premises. If everything is satisfactory, a Form B will be issued which removes the Form A restrictions.