Jim Alderman owns thousands of heads of cattle on his Okeechobee ranch. The farm has been in his family since the 1930s. But 'foot and mouth disease' may jeopardize that heritage. An ocean away, livestock is slaughtered and burned. This devastating condition causes cloven-hooved livestock to develop fevers and blisters.
Beef cattle lose weight, dairy cattle produce less milk.
It's so contagious even healthy animals are being destroyed to stop the spread. But people can also spread the virus on their clothes and shoes, even in their bodies. Researchers say humans can even carry foot and mouth disease in their upper respiratory tract for up to 24 hours. That means if a person that came in contact with the disease in Great Britain can board a plane and land in the U.S. and if they come in contact with cattle here they can wipe out a herd and an economy. And even though foot and mouth hasn't been seen in the U.S. since 1929, state agriculture officials say Florida is more at risk than any other state in the nation because of its 17 international sea and airports.