Recognise and report notifiable animal diseases

What are notifiable diseases?

Notifiable diseases are specified under the Animal Health Act 1981 and related legislation. They include exotic diseases not normally present in the UK (such as foot-and-mouth disease) and endemic diseases requiring active control measures (such as bovine tuberculosis).

There are over 80 notifiable diseases affecting various species. This guide focuses on the most common and economically significant diseases that livestock keepers are likely to encounter.

Why immediate reporting matters

• Rapid containment: Early reporting allows APHA to impose movement restrictions before disease spreads to other holdings
• Protects the national herd/flock: Controls prevent widespread outbreaks that could devastate UK agriculture
• Trade protection: Demonstrating disease control maintains UK export status and trading relationships
• Compensation eligibility: Farmers who report promptly and comply with restrictions are eligible for compensation if animals are culled
• Legal obligation: Failure to report is a prosecutable offence with potential imprisonment and unlimited fines

How to report a suspected notifiable disease

If you suspect a notifiable disease, follow these steps immediately:

1. Isolate affected animals

Separate visibly sick animals from the rest of your stock if you can do so safely. Prevent contact with other livestock, people, and vehicles. Do NOT move animals off the holding.

2. Stop all movements on and off the holding

Implement a voluntary movement standstill. Do not move any livestock, equipment, vehicles, or people on or off the holding unless absolutely essential. This prevents potential disease spread while awaiting APHA investigation.

3. Call APHA immediately

APHA helpline: 03000 200 301 (24 hours, 7 days a week)

This number is answered around the clock. Explain:

• Your name, holding address, and CPH number
• Which species are affected and how many animals show symptoms
• What symptoms you've observed
• When symptoms first appeared
• Any recent animal movements on or off the holding

4. Follow APHA instructions

APHA will send a veterinary officer to inspect your animals, usually within hours for high-priority diseases. Follow all instructions given by APHA, including movement restrictions, biosecurity measures, and sampling procedures.

5. Do NOT call your private vet first

Contact APHA directly, not your private veterinarian. Your vet cannot diagnose notifiable diseases officially—only APHA veterinary officers can do this. However, if your vet notices suspicious symptoms during a routine visit, they are legally required to report to APHA and will do so on your behalf.

Major notifiable diseases by species

The following sections cover the most significant notifiable diseases livestock keepers should watch for. This is not exhaustive—see the full list at GOV.UK.

Bovine tuberculosis (Bovine TB)

Bovine TB is the most economically significant notifiable disease affecting cattle in England and Wales. It's endemic in certain areas (High-Risk Areas and Edge Areas), requiring regular compulsory testing.

How bovine TB spreads

• Cattle-to-cattle contact (respiratory transmission)
• Wildlife reservoirs, particularly badgers in endemic areas
• Contaminated environment (can survive months in damp conditions)
• Shared grazing, water sources, and boundaries with infected herds

Clinical signs (often absent)

Bovine TB is insidious—many infected cattle show no symptoms until advanced stages. Possible signs include:

• Progressive weight loss despite adequate feeding
• Chronic cough (not responsive to normal treatments)
• Enlarged lymph nodes (visible as lumps, particularly in neck)
• Difficulty breathing in advanced cases
• General poor body condition and ill-thrift

Testing requirements

APHA operates a compulsory TB testing programme:

• High-Risk Areas (HRA): Testing every 6 months by default (annual testing only for herds with earned recognition)
• Edge Areas: Testing every 6 months or annually (county-dependent)
• Low-Risk Areas (LRA): Testing every 4 years or on specific risk events

You will receive written notice from APHA instructing when to test. You must book a TB tester (approved private vet) within the specified timeframe. Failure to test when required results in movement restrictions on your holding.

What happens if reactors are found

Cattle that react positively to the skin test (called 'reactors') are:

• Valued by APHA valuers
• Removed for slaughter within specified timeframes
• Tested post-mortem to confirm TB presence
• Compensated using monthly published table valuations in England (51 categories by age, sex, type and pedigree status); Wales uses individual valuation

Your herd is placed under Official Tuberculosis restrictions (OTF-S or OTF-W status), preventing most movements until the herd passes two consecutive clear tests (typically 60 days apart).

Avian influenza (bird flu)

Avian influenza is a highly contagious viral disease affecting poultry and wild birds. High pathogenicity strains (HPAI) can cause up to 100% mortality in domestic flocks within days. Human infection is rare but possible.

Clinical signs in poultry

• Sudden deaths: Multiple birds dying rapidly with no prior illness
• Severe respiratory signs: Gasping, coughing, nasal discharge
• Swollen head, comb, and wattles: Often dark blue or purple discolouration
• Drop in egg production: Sudden cessation of laying, soft-shelled or misshapen eggs
• Nervous signs: Twisted necks, lack of coordination, convulsions
• Diarrhoea: Greenish watery droppings

Reporting thresholds

Report to APHA if you observe:

• Increased mortality (especially if sudden and unexplained)
• Multiple birds with respiratory or nervous signs
• Significant drop in feed or water consumption
• Large numbers of wild bird deaths near your flock

Prevention: Biosecurity is critical

• Keep poultry away from wild birds (netting, indoor housing during high-risk periods)
• Cleanse and disinfect footwear before entering poultry areas
• Don't allow visitors into poultry housing unnecessarily
• Feed indoors to avoid attracting wild birds
• Cover water sources to prevent contamination by wild waterfowl
• Monitor wild bird populations for signs of disease or mass mortality events

Housing orders and Avian Influenza Prevention Zones (AIPZ)

During outbreaks, Defra can issue housing orders requiring all poultry keepers in defined areas to keep birds indoors. Failure to comply is a criminal offence. Check GOV.UK regularly during autumn and winter (high-risk season) for housing order announcements.

Foot-and-mouth disease (FMD)

Foot-and-mouth disease is one of the most feared livestock diseases. It spreads rapidly between cloven-hoofed animals (cattle, sheep, goats, pigs, deer) and can devastate agriculture if not controlled immediately. The 2001 UK outbreak resulted in over 6 million animals culled and £8 billion economic damage.

Clinical signs

FMD causes painful blisters (vesicles) in and around the mouth, on feet, and on teats. Key signs include:

• Salivation and drooling: Excessive saliva due to painful mouth lesions
• Lameness: Animals reluctant to walk due to foot lesions
• Blisters and lesions: On tongue, gums, dental pad, hooves, and teats
• Fever: High temperature (40-41°C) in early stages
• Sudden drop in milk yield: Dramatic decrease in lactating animals
• Smacking lips and grinding teeth: Indicative of mouth pain
• Trembling and shivering: Especially in young animals

Why FMD is so serious

• Highly contagious: Spreads rapidly through direct contact, aerosols, contaminated feed, vehicles, clothing, and equipment
• Long-distance spread: Virus can travel several kilometres on the wind
• Trade implications: FMD outbreak results in immediate export bans, causing massive economic losses
• No effective treatment: Infected animals are culled to prevent spread

What to do if you suspect FMD

IMMEDIATELY:

• Stop all livestock movements on and off your holding
• Call APHA on 03000 200 301 (do NOT delay)
• Prevent all visitors and vehicles entering or leaving the farm
• Isolate affected animals if safe to do so
• Implement strict biosecurity (boot dips, vehicle cleansing)

APHA will impose an immediate movement ban and send veterinary officers urgently. If FMD is confirmed, extensive control zones (protection zones, surveillance zones, infected areas) are established, potentially affecting thousands of holdings.

African swine fever (ASF) and Classical swine fever (CSF)

Both ASF and CSF are highly contagious viral diseases affecting pigs (domestic and wild). Neither disease affects humans. ASF has been spreading across Europe since 2014, making vigilance critical for UK pig keepers.

Clinical signs (similar for both diseases)

• Sudden deaths: Multiple pigs dying rapidly
• High fever: 40-42°C, pigs huddled together
• Skin discolouration: Purple/blue patches on ears, tail, abdomen, legs
• Lethargy and loss of appetite: Pigs lying down, not eating
• Respiratory signs: Coughing, difficulty breathing
• Diarrhoea and vomiting: Sometimes bloody
• Abortion: In pregnant sows
• Nervous signs: Inco-ordination, convulsions in some cases

How ASF/CSF spreads

• Direct contact with infected pigs or wild boar
• Contaminated feed (particularly swill feeding, which is ILLEGAL in the UK)
• Contaminated equipment, vehicles, clothing, boots
• Infected pork products (ASF virus survives in cured/frozen meat for months)
• Ticks (ASF only, in certain geographic areas)

Prevention for pig keepers

• Never feed catering waste or swill: This is illegal and a major disease risk
• Prevent contact with wild boar: Secure perimeter fencing
• Boot/wheel dips at all entry points: Enforce strict biosecurity
• Source feed from approved suppliers only
• Report any unusual deaths or sickness immediately
• Ban staff from bringing pork products from abroad onto the farm

Bluetongue

Bluetongue is a viral disease affecting sheep, cattle, goats, and deer, transmitted by biting midges (Culicoides species). It does not affect humans or food safety but can cause severe disease in livestock, particularly sheep.

Clinical signs (primarily in sheep)

• Blue tongue: The tongue may turn blue/purple due to lack of oxygen (hence the name)
• Swollen, sore mouth and nose: Excessive salivation, nasal discharge
• Swollen head and neck: Oedema (fluid swelling) around face and neck
• Fever: High temperature
• Lameness: Inflammation of the coronary band (top of hooves)
• Respiratory distress: Difficulty breathing
• Sudden deaths: Particularly in lambs
• Abortions: In pregnant ewes

Cattle symptoms (often milder)

• Reduced milk yield
• Fever and lethargy
• Nasal discharge and drooling
• Mouth ulcers
• Lameness

Bluetongue control zones and vaccination

When bluetongue is detected, restricted zones (RZs) are established limiting livestock movements. The whole of England has been a bluetongue (BTV-3) restricted zone since 1 July 2025, and as of June 2026 England, Wales, Northern Ireland and the Isle of Man are all within restricted zones. Livestock can move freely within England, but moves to Scotland need a specific movement licence plus a negative pre-movement PCR test within 7 days of the move (or full vaccination with an approved BTV-3 vaccine) - requirements that were tightened from 1 June 2026. Check GOV.UK for the current zone map and movement rules, as they change as the disease situation develops. Early reporting and vaccination (where available) remain important.

Scrapie (sheep and goats)

Scrapie is a fatal, degenerative disease affecting the nervous system of sheep and goats. It's a transmissible spongiform encephalopathy (TSE), similar to BSE in cattle. Scrapie does not affect humans.

Clinical signs (appear gradually over weeks/months)

• Behavioural changes: Nervousness, aggression, or unusual timidity
• Excessive scratching and rubbing: Animals scratch against fences, posts (hence 'scrapie')
• Wool loss: Fleece damage from scratching, wool easily pulls out
• Tremors and twitching: Head bobbing, lip smacking, convulsions
• Inco-ordination: Stumbling, difficulty standing, collapse
• Weight loss: Progressive wasting despite normal appetite
• Teeth grinding

Reporting and control

If you suspect scrapie, report to APHA. Confirmation requires laboratory testing of brain tissue (post-mortem). Scrapie control involves:

• Genetic testing: Certain sheep genotypes are resistant to classical scrapie
• Selective breeding programmes using scrapie-resistant genetics
• Restrictions on movements from infected flocks

The National Scrapie Plan (NSP) encourages breeding for scrapie resistance. Participation is voluntary but provides marketing advantages and reduces disease risk.

What happens when you report a suspected notifiable disease

Step 1: Initial response (same day)

• APHA will triage your call and assess the risk level
• For high-priority diseases (FMD, avian influenza, swine fever), a veterinary officer is dispatched immediately (often within 2-4 hours)
• You'll be given immediate biosecurity instructions
• A temporary voluntary movement restriction may be advised

Step 2: Veterinary investigation (within hours to days)

• An APHA veterinary officer visits to inspect affected animals
• Clinical examination and symptom assessment
• Samples taken (blood, swabs, tissue) for laboratory testing
• Movement restrictions imposed if suspicion remains high

Step 3: Laboratory testing (1-3 days, sometimes faster)

• Samples sent to APHA laboratories for diagnostic testing
• Urgent cases (FMD, AI) receive priority processing
• You're informed of results as soon as available

Step 4a: Negative result (disease ruled out)

• Movement restrictions lifted
• You can resume normal operations
• APHA may advise on alternative diagnoses and treatments
• No penalties for reporting in good faith

Step 4b: Positive result (disease confirmed)

• Official Disease Control measures implemented
• Control zones established around the infected premise (IP)
• Movement bans across affected zones
• Potential culling of infected and contact animals (species and disease dependent)
• Cleansing and disinfection of premises
• Compensation paid for compulsorily slaughtered animals
• Restrictions remain until disease is eradicated from the holding and surrounding area

Biosecurity: Preventing notifiable diseases

Preventing disease introduction is far better than dealing with an outbreak. Key biosecurity measures include:

Visitor and vehicle controls

• Limit visitors to essential personnel only
• Maintain a visitor log (name, date, which livestock areas visited)
• Provide clean protective clothing and boot dips for all visitors
• Cleanse and disinfect vehicles entering livestock areas
• Designate parking areas away from livestock housing

Livestock movements and sourcing

• Buy from known, reputable sources with good health status
• Isolate new arrivals for 2-3 weeks before mixing with existing stock (if facilities permit)
• Check movement documents carefully and report movements promptly
• Observe standstill periods after movements

Wildlife and pest control

• Prevent contact between livestock and wildlife (especially badgers, wild boar, wild birds)
• Store feed securely to avoid attracting wild animals and rodents
• Control rodents and birds around feed stores and livestock housing
• Fence vulnerable areas to exclude wildlife

Hygiene and cleansing protocols

• Use dedicated equipment for each species/group where possible
• Cleanse and disinfect equipment between uses
• Maintain foot dips with effective disinfectant at building entrances
• Regularly clean housing and remove manure/soiled bedding
• Use approved disinfectants effective against relevant pathogens

Monitor your stock daily

• Walk through animals daily checking for signs of illness
• Record any unusual symptoms, deaths, or behaviour changes
• Investigate sudden changes in feed consumption, milk yield, or egg production
• Don't assume symptoms are 'just' a minor illness—investigate properly

Compensation for compulsory slaughter

If animals are compulsorily slaughtered as part of disease control measures (e.g., FMD reactors, avian influenza culls), you are eligible for compensation calculated as:

Market value at the time of valuation MINUS salvage value (if carcass has any value)

Bovine TB reactors in England are an exception: compensation is set using monthly published table valuations (51 categories), not individual market valuation.

Valuation process

• APHA arranges for an independent valuer to assess animals before slaughter
• Valuation is based on market value immediately before disease suspicion (not current diseased state)
• You can request a second valuation if you disagree with the first
• Payment is typically made within 1-3 months of slaughter

Compensation may be reduced or refused if:

• You failed to report disease when first suspected
• You breached movement restrictions or biosecurity instructions
• You failed to comply with compulsory testing requirements (e.g., TB testing)
• You obstructed APHA officers during investigations

This is why prompt reporting is critical: Delay in reporting not only risks disease spread but can cost you compensation eligibility.

Full list of notifiable diseases

The diseases covered in this guide are the most common. For the complete list of notifiable diseases (80+ diseases across all species including bees, fish, and exotic species), see GOV.UK guidance.

Other significant notifiable diseases include:

• Anthrax (all species)
• Rabies (all species)
• Brucellosis (cattle, sheep, goats, pigs)
• Salmonella (poultry—specific serotypes)
• Newcastle disease (poultry)
• Enzootic bovine leukosis (cattle)
• Peste des petits ruminants (sheep and goats)
• African horse sickness (horses)