The Foot-and-Mouth Disease Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2006

Regulation 47(2)

SCHEDULE 4 RESTOCKING OF PREMISES

PART I GENERAL PRINCIPLES

1.—(1) In this Schedule “vaccinated” means treated with hyperimmune serum or vaccine against disease and “unvaccinated” shall be construed accordingly.

(2) Paragraphs 2 to 5 apply subject to paragraphs 6 and 7.

2.  An animal for restocking may only be introduced under the following conditions—

(a) the animal shall not come from a temporary control zone, protection zone or surveillance zone or vaccination zone;

(b) the Department must have confirmed by notice served on the occupier that it is satisfied that no residual disease virus can be detected in the animals on the basis of clinical signs (for bovine animals or swine) or laboratory investigations (for other species);

(c) the animal shall either—

(i) originate in and come from a holding where there has been no confirmed case of the disease within 10 kilometres for at least 30 days; or

(ii) have been tested with negative results in an assay for the detection of antibodies against the disease virus carried out on samples taken prior to restocking.

3.  During restocking animals shall be introduced into all units and buildings of the holding.

4.—(1) Subject to sub-paragraph (2), during restocking each animal shall—

(a) be subject to clinical inspection every three days for the first 14 days following its introduction; and

(b) during the period from 15 to 28 days after its introduction, each animal shall be subject to clinical inspection once per week;

(2) If no infected premises have been declared within 10 kilometres of any premises for at least 3 months before the commencement of restocking, the Department may, by notice served on the occupier of those premises, except those premises from the requirements of sub-paragraph (1).

5.  Not earlier than 28 days after the last introduction, each animal shall be clinically examined by an inspector and samples tested for the presence of antibodies against the disease virus.

PART II RESTOCKING OF PREMISES IN A VACCINATION ZONE

6.  Instead of restocking in accordance with paragraphs 2 to 5, premises in a vaccination zone may be restocked if the following conditions are satisfied—

(a) an inspector of the Department has, within the 24 hours prior to introduction, carried out a clinical examination on every susceptible animal on the premises supplying an animal to be introduced without having identified signs of the disease;

(b) no animal to be introduced has come from a protection or surveillance zone;

(c) every animal to be introduced has been tested for antibodies against the disease by an inspector after the end of its incubation period with negative results or a serological survey shall has been completed on the animals to be introduced with negative results.

Restocking of premises outside a vaccination zone with vaccinated animals: surveillance

7.  Where any vaccinated animal is to be introduced to premises outside a vaccination zone—

(a) it shall not be subject to paragraphs 2 to 5; and

(b) if the proportion of vaccinated animals in the animals to be introduced is 75% or greater, then not earlier than 28 days after the last introduction of susceptible animals to those premises, the Department shall ensure that the vaccinated animals are randomly tested for the detection of antibodies against non-structural proteins.

PART III MOVEMENT OF SUSCEPTIBLE ANIMALS DURING RESTOCKING

8.  During restocking, a person shall not move a susceptible animal from the premises.

PART IV COMPLETION OF RESTOCKING

9.  The Department shall declare the completion of restocking by notice served on the occupier if—

(a) every introduced unvaccinated animal on the premises has undergone the examination and test in paragraph 5 with negative results and, where paragraph 7(b) applies, the tests in that sub-paragraph have been carried out with negative results; or

(b) the conditions in paragraph 6 are satisfied.