If you would like to help in any capacity with this contact Josie VanDorn 278-1978. If you are interested please contact the Extension Office. It is caused by a virus that effects cloven-hoofed animals such as cattle, sheep, swine, goats, and deer. The characteristics of the disease are a sudden rising temperature, followed by an eruption of blisters occurring in the mouth, on areas of tender skin such as the udder in females, and on the feet. The blisters grow larger, eventually bursting, exposing raw, eroded surfaces.
Eating becomes difficult and painful.
Due to the inflamed tissue under the hooves the animal becomes lame and may shed it's hooves. Livestock raised for meat lose weight and dairy stock milk production decreases. The disease often kills younger animals and causes abortion in pregnant females. Progress has been made toward developing a vaccine, however it is extremely costly to vaccinate all susceptible animals. Plus, it would not totally eradicate the disease.