Foreign animal disease
What is FAD?
Foreign animal diseases, more commonly referred to as FADs, are diseases which are not normally present in the animal populations of the United States. Many FADs can greatly impact animal health with some even capable of causing death and sever economic consequences in the US animal population. The most well-known example of an FAD is Foot-and-Mouth Disease, which is currently impacting animals in other parts of the world, but it has not been the cause of a US outbreak since 1929.
What fads Should I Be Aware Of?
For a complete Reportable Disease List, visit this page from the Oklahoma Department of Agriculture, Food & Forestry.
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A severe and highly contagious viral disease that can cause illness in cows, pigs, sheep, goats, deer, and other animals with divided hooves. Completely unrelated to “Hand, foot, and mouth disease,” the common children’s virus. To learn more, visit THIS PAGE from the USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.
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A highly contagious and economically significant viral disease with varied severity depending on the virus strain, age of pig, and immune status of the herd. To learn more, visit THIS PAGE from the USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.
FAD FAQ’s
If you have any construction and renovation work need, simply call our 24 hour emergecny number.
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In the case of many of the foreign animal diseases we monitor for, like African Swine Fever, only pigs are impacted. This means diseases like ASF pose no threat to public health or food safety.
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Any suspected clinical case of a reportable disease should be reported immediately to the State Veterinarian’s Office. This includes:
If an animal dies acutely and was exhibiting clinical signs of a reportable disease
Any highly unusual condition, unusual clinical signs of any kind, and any instance of very high morbidity and/or mortality
The Oklahoma State Veterinarian’s Office can be reached at 405-522-6141
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Direct Transmission:
The transfer of disease from one pig to another and is the most common method of disease transmission.Contact Transmission – nose-to-nose contact that results in an infection.
Aerosol Transmission – exposure to droplets in the air from an infected pig (cough, sneeze, dust).
Fecal Transmission – ingestion of infected manure or bedding.
Reproductive Transmission – transmission of disease during the breeding process (i.e. infected semen).
Indirect Transmission:
The spread of disease from pig to pig by exposure to dirty object(s) (i.e. scale, brushes, sprayer or trailer).Vector-borne Transmission:
The spread of a disease to a pig by biting insects such as a mosquito or a tick.
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The collective pork industry, in conjunction with medical researches, scientists, and government agencies, are hard at work to develop a commercially available vaccine for FADs like African Swine Fever. As of the summer of 2022, no commercially available vaccine exists for ASF, but a major milestone was reached in April of 2022. You can read more about that milestone and all the progress that’s been made in this article from the USDA Agricultural Research Service.
Beyond African Swine Fever, vaccines are readily available globally for conditions like Foot and Mouth Disease and Classic Swine Fever.
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According to a 2019 study conducted by the Center for Agricultural and Rural Development at Iowa State University, the economic impact of a foreign animal disease outbreak in the US would be devastating. They estimate as much as $50 billion in lost revenue for the US pork industry and nationwide employment losses of 140,000 jobs by the end of 10 years. We’d also expect to see significant revenue losses in related and supporting industries such as feed.
FAD COMMUNICATIONS TOOLKIT
Producer Communications
Communicating with pork producers on everything to know to prepare for and react to FADs.
swine show Communications
Communicating with kids, families, and anyone else participating in swine shows or youth ag events.
legislator Communications
Communicating with kids, families, and anyone else participating in swine shows or youth ag events.
FAD RESOURCES
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Foreign Animal Disease Preparation Checklist
A checklist produced by the National Pork Board that can help speed response times to an outbreak by animal health officials and industry
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Steps to Take if FADs are confirmed in the United States
A seven step action plan produced by the National Pork Board from gathering information, to increasing biosecurity on your farm, to reporting concerns.
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US Pork Industry Guide to the Secure Pork Supply Plan
Secure pork supply plan developed by the Pork Checkoff and the US Department of Agriculture.
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USDA’s FAD Preparedness and Response Plan
A 97 page plan developed by the USDA in 2020 in response to the threat of African Swine Fever.
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US Swine Health Improvement Plan (SHIP)
A voluntary program modeled off the US Poultry Industry and aimed at establishing a national playbook of technical standards and associated certifications centered on disease prevention and mitigation.
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SPS Secure Pork Supply
Provides opportunities to voluntarily prepare before a foreign animal disease outbreak, better positioning pork premises with animals that have no evidence of infection to move animals to processing or another pork production premises.
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The Rapid Access Biosecurity (RAB) App
Standardizes SPS plans (above) and creates maps to visualize the biosecurity infrastructure of individual farms across state lines, which will help expedite outbreak response from producers and the Department of Agriculture.
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AgView
A free, opt-in technology solution from the National Pork Board that helps producers of all sizes and types provide disease status updates and pig movement data to state animal health officials.
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Oklahoma State Veterinarian Website
State run website with specific information on events, regulations, general information, and helpful contacts for all things animal health, including foreign animal diseases.
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USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service
US Government hub for all things animal health including updates from across the country, information on importing and exporting, emergency preparedness plans, and all things foreign animal disease.
Get Started with These 14 Biosecurity Resources
The Pork Checkoff provides research and best practices for producers to use on their farm. Get started creating a plan and reviewing biosecurity protocols on your farm by reviewing the sample collection of 14 biosecurity resources.
African Swine Fever Confirmed in Dominican Republic
USDA’s Animal Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) confirmed the first cases of African swine fever (ASF) in the Dominican Republic on July 28, 2021. The USDA identified the positive ASF cases through a cooperative surveillance program with the Caribbean nation.
The Department of Homeland Security’s Customs and Border Protection (CBP) is increasing inspections of flights from the Dominican Republic to ensure travelers do not bring prohibited products to the United States. CBP is making sure garbage from these airplanes is properly disposed of to prevent the transmission of ASF.
Live pigs and pork products from the Dominican Republic have long been prohibited from entering the U.S. due to the country’s previous foreign animal disease (FAD) outbreaks. The nation produces nearly 1.2 million hogs a year.
Protect your pig herds and maintain continuity of business for the U.S. pork industry by:
Monitoring for Signs of ASF in Pigs
Request 12"x18" laminated ASF identification barn posters by emailing communications@okpork.org. These posters and brochures are available in English and Spanish.
Reporting Signs of an FAD on Your Farm
Report by calling 405-522-0270 or emailing asf@ag.ok.gov. You can also visit ag.ok.gov then click the Disease Alert tab.
Participating in Secure Pork Supply Program
The Secure Pork Supply (SPS) Continuity of Business Plan provides opportunities to voluntarily prepare before an outbreak. Read more: www.securepork.org
Enhancing Your On-farm Biosecurity Practices
The ASF virus can easily travel on shoes and clothing. Consider limiting foreign visitors to your farm.
Staying Alert & Informed
Visit porkcheckoff.org/news and nppc.org/asf regularly for updates.
Pork is safe to eat. African swine fever is a highly contagious viral disease impacting only pigs, not people so it is not a public health threat nor a food safety concern.
Pork is safe to eat.
African swine fever is a highly contagious viral disease impacting only pigs, not people so it is not a public health threat nor a food safety concern.
Sign up below to receive ASF updates from the Oklahoma Pork Council.
ASF Posters
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Biosecurity
English
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Signs & Symptoms
English
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Travelers
English
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Show Pigs
English
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Don't spread
Spanish
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Signs & Sypmtoms
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Travelers
Spanish
FAD Contacts
Knowledge and timely reporting are key elements of our defense against foreign animal disease. Whether you’re a farmer, a processor, or any other member of the pork industry community, you have a responsibility to help protect Oklahoma’s pig population. If you’ve got concerns or questions, here’s where to start:
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Animal Industry Services and the State Veterinarian are a division of the Oklahoma Department of Agriculture, Food and Forestry. They are responsible for protecting Oklahoma Livestock from disease and assisting producers in livestock productivity. They have an entire section of their WEBSITE dedicated to providing CURRENT OKLAHOMA DISEASE ALERTS.
If you have a concern about a foreign animal disease, and are unsure if you should report it to the State Veterinarian, YOU SHOULD!
Phone Number for Oklahoma State Veterinarian: 405-522-6141
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The Oklahoma Pork Council has served the state’s pork producers since 1991 and has a dedicated professional staff and board of directors ready to assist the Oklahoma Pork Industry in any way necessary. If you have questions for a specific member of the staff or for the board of directors, you can contact them via THIS PAGE. If you’d like to email Oklahoma Pork directly through our website’s contact form, you can find it HERE.
Phone Number for Oklahoma Pork Council: 405-232-3781