Producers

Steps in Moving Goats

During an FMD outbreak, Regulatory Officials may impose movement restrictions on animals and animal products for a period of time. Moving animals will require a movement permit. Regulatory officials may require each of the steps below are met before issuing a movement permit. Additional steps may be required in an actual outbreak.

  1. Request a National Premises Identification Number (PIN) from the office of your State Animal Health Official
  2. Implement your enhanced operation-specific biosecurity plan
  3. Monitor for FMD
  4. Keep movement records of animals, people, equipment, and other items onto your premises.

Several of these can be done PRIOR to an outbreak. Explore the left menu to start preparing today!

Planning for times of restricted animal movement at the beginning of an outbreak is important for business continuity. Read the SGMMS Contingency Planning to learn more.

General permit guidance is included below and in the SGMMS Plan.

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Premises ID Number

Get Your PIN

A Premises Identification Number (PIN) or Location Identifier (LID) is a unique code that is permanently assigned to a single physical location. PIN or LID registration is administered by each State and allows animal health officials to quickly and precisely identify where animals are located in the event of an animal health or food safety emergency. A PIN or LID is required to purchase official animal identification tags.

Request a National Premises Identification Number (PremID or PIN) from the office of your State Animal Health Official. In an outbreak, the PIN will allow producers to be notified if they are in a regulatory Control Area, speeding up a response.

Farm Scene Graphic

Get a PIN for Your Farm or Ranch

An essential component of a rapid response to potential Foot and Mouth Disease outbreak is for all livestock producers to have a Premises Identification Number (PIN) or a Location Identifier (LID). This is a unique code permanently assigned to a single physical location. The PIN or LID is administered by each state  and allows animal health officials to quickly and precisely identify where animals are located in the event of an animal health or food safety emergency.

The PIN is also required to request a movement permit in an FMD or other foreign animal disease outbreak. It links test results and other important information to a premises.

Contact the office of your State Animal Health Official (State Veterinarian), call 1-866-USDA-TAG, or contact the USDA APHIS Veterinary Services Office in your state to learn what type of premises identification you may have, or need to request.

Already have a PIN?

Great! Now it is time to validate it.

Contact your State Animal Health Official to ensure the PIN data includes a valid 911 address and a set of matching coordinates (latitude and longitude) reflecting the actual location of the animals on the premises.

Start including your validated PIN on diagnostic sample submissions.

 

Premises Identification

Biosecurity for Producers

Implementing enhanced biosecurity plans will help prevent exposing livestock to Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD) during an outbreak. Be prepared to share your biosecurity plan with your State Animal Health Official (if requested) prior to an outbreak.

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Write an operation-specific, enhanced biosecurity plan!

Work with your veterinarian and use the resources on this site to get started. Each location (premises) should have its own biosecurity plan. Begin by defining your premises, clearly describing the animals (all species) and animal housing (buildings, pastures, and dry lots) associated with the operation. Additionally, other businesses operated from the same premises will need to be accounted for in the biosecurity plan (e.g., distribution or sales of feed, mineral, fertilizer, compost, seed, or equipment; livestock sales; hosting farm tours; etc.). Biosecurity plans for premises owned/managed similarly may have significant overlap.

A Premises Identification Number (PIN) will be necessary and includes a valid 911 address and a set of matching coordinates (latitude and longitude) reflecting the actual location of the animals on the premises. Request a PIN from the office of your State Animal Health Official. Generally, it is best to consider each operation that raises animals at non-adjacent locations or multiple locations that must be accessed via a public road as a separate premises, have a separate Premises Identification Number, and therefore, a separate biosecurity plan. 

Creating a Biosecurity Plan

Already Have a Biosecurity Plan?

Compare it to the checklist below and make sure all the items are included in your plan. If not, you might need to enhance your biosecurity plan.

Biosecurity Checklist

SGMMS Self Assessment Checklist

Protect Your Premises

  • Feedlot LOS Example
  • Goats on Pasture LOS Example

Customizable Templates

  • Enhanced Biosecurity Plan Template (TYPE premises info)
  • Enhanced Biosecurity Plan Template (WRITE premises info)

Biosecurity Manuals

  • Biosecurity Info for Goat Feedlots
  • Biosecurity Info for Goats on Pasture/Rangeland
  • Enhanced Biosecurity Considerations for Grazing Public Lands

Creating a Premises Map

  • Premises Map Instructions: Feedlot
  • Premises Map Instructions: Pasture/Rangeland

Customizable Templates

Enhanced Biosecurity Plan Template (TYPE premises info)

Enhanced Biosecurity Plan Template (WRITE premises info)

Disease Monitoring

Disease monitoring (surveillance) of animals for foot and mouth disease (FMD) involves close observation and testing. FMD lesions are typically mild or inapparent in adult sheep while death rates in lambs can be high. Animal caretakers should be aware of what to look for in order to find infected flocks. Producers should establish a relationship with a USDA Category II Accredited Veterinarian if they have not already, as they may be a necessary component of disease monitoring and sample collection (surveillance) during an outbreak. Click here for the USDA Accredited Veterinarian locator. Producers should report suspicious clinical signs to their veterinarian or state or federal animal health official.

The document, Factors to Consider Regarding Surveillance, Biosecurity and Movement Permitting of Goat in a Foot and Mouth Disease Outbreak summarizes challenges in disease monitoring (surveillance) options for sheep premises within a Control Area to demonstrate a lack of evidence of FMD virus infection to support continuity of business movements.

Observe

  • Examination Checklist

  • See Something, Say Something Sign

  • Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD) Pocket Guide – English | Spanish

  • FMD Lesions Poster – English | Spanish

  • Disease Monitoring Videos – English | Spanish

Record

  • Daily Observation Form

  • Abnormal Findings Explanation Form

Report

  • Communication Plan

  • Expected Parameters and Investigation Triggers Form

Vaccination

The decision to use FMD vaccine in an outbreak will be made by Regulatory Officials.

Watch the video FMD Vaccination: What Livestock Producers Need to Know to better understand the many factors that need to be considered.

Movement Records

FMD virus can spread on contaminated vehicles, equipment, even people’s clothing and footwear. In an outbreak, producers may be asked by Regulatory Officials to provide accurate trace-back information to identify potential FMD virus exposure.

  • If you do not already record this information on paper or electronically, the example logs below can be used.
  • Producers can use the Practice Questionnaire for FMD Exposure to get a feel for the information they may need to provide in an outbreak.

Movement Logs

  • Animal Movement Log

  • People Entry Log

  • Vehicle/Equipment Entry Log

Practice Questionnaire

Practice Questionnaire for FMD Exposure

Forms and Standard Operating Procedures

Some forms included in the SGMMS Plan may need to be used repeatedly unless information is recorded electronically. Example forms can be downloaded and used as needed. The Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) below can be customized to each site.

Biosecurity

  • Employee and Visitor Arrival Agreement
  • Record of Checking Rodent Bait Stations
  • Cleaning and Disinfection Inventory Log

Movement Records

  • Animal Movement Log
  • People Entry Log
  • Vehicle/Equipment Entry Log

SOPs

Establishing, Operating the Cleaning and Disinfection Station SOP

Training Documentation

Group Training Documentation Form

Permit Guidance

During an outbreak, movement permits will be issued by Regulatory Officials based on the risk posed by that item. Moving animals from premises in a Control Area is not without risk of disease spread to livestock via the truck, driver, and animals. Planning for times of no animal movement at the beginning of an outbreak is important for business continuity. Read the Contingency Planning for Producers Prior to an FMD Outbreak to learn more.

Regulatory Officials will determine and communicate the exact permit requirements for sheep, semen, and embryos. Producers should be prepared to meet the requirements prior to requesting a permit.

General permit guidance is included below and in the SGMMS Plan.

Conditions Required to Request Permit to Move Goats, Semen and/or Embryos

  1. Traceability information is available PIN, GPS Coordinates, and information on type and number of animals/quantity of semen to be moved).
  2. Biosecurity measures listed in the Biosecurity Checklist for Feedlots or Goats on Pasture/Rangeland are in place and acceptable to Responsible Regulatory Officials.
  3. Trace back/forward information* is acceptable (premises is not Infected, Suspect, or Contact).
  4. Destination premises and State are willing to accept the animals, semen, or embryos.
  5. No evidence of infection based on disease monitoring (surveillance)

Regulatory Officials May Issue Movement Permit If Conditions Met

Producers can provide trace back and trace forward information by maintaining accurate records of movement of animals, feed, supplies, equipment, personnel, and visitors. Producers can use the Practice Questionnaire for FMD Exposure to get a feel for the information they may need to provide in an outbreak.

Signs and Posters

Biosecurity Signs

These 8.5″ by 11″ full color signs can be downloaded and printed for use on the operation.

  • Do Not Enter – Cross only at Biosecure Entry Point: English/Spanish
  • Biosecure Entry Ahead: English | Spanish
  • Stop – Biosecure Entry Ahead: English | Spanish

Biosecurity Posters

These 8.5″ by 11″ full color posters can be downloaded and printed for use on the operation.

  • Farm Activities – English | Spanish
  • Visitors with Direct Goat Contact – English | Spanish
  • Visitors without Direct Goat Contact – English | Spanish

Foot & Mouth Disease (FMD) Signs, Posters, Pocket Guide

These 8.5″ by 11″ full color posters can be downloaded and printed for use on the operation.

  • See Something, Say Something Sign (8.5″ x 11″): English
  • FMD Lesions Posters (8.5″ x 11″): English | FMD Lesions Spanish
  • FMD Pocket Guide – English | Spanis