Preventing Foot and Mouth Disease in Your Herd

Foot and Mouth Disease is endemic across Northern Nigeria. It rarely kills cattle directly, but its economic impact is severe: animals stop eating, lose body condition rapidly, milk production drops by 50% or more, and draft animals become unable to work. The weakened state also makes secondary infections far more dangerous. FMD spreads through direct contact, contaminated surfaces, and airborne transmission over short distances. In Northern Nigeria, disease peaks typically follow the movement of animals between grazing areas during the dry season, when herds mix at shared water points and along livestock routes. The most effective prevention is annual vaccination combined with movement discipline. Cattle in areas with known FMD circulation should be vaccinated before the dry season movement period. The vaccine provides protection for approximately six months, so timing matters: vaccinating in October, just before the peak risk period, is more effective than vaccinating in April. This article covers how to identify FMD (the blisters, drooling, and lameness pattern), the recommended vaccination schedule for Northern Nigeria, what to do if FMD is suspected (quarantine protocol, notification, treatment of secondary infections), and how to rebuild herd condition after an outbreak. Do not wait for visible symptoms before acting.