If one animal is infected, entire herds, including those in nearby areas, will be destroyed.
Livestock is the number one segment of the Texas agricultural industry.
If infected, livestock raised for meat production will suffer dramatic weight loss, and those animals raised for dairy production, such as cattle and goats, will produce less milk. Often the disease kills very young animals and sometimes causes pregnant females to abort. An outbreak of FMD in Texas could potentially wipe out the entire livestock industry causing significant harm to the state s economy. In addition, FMD poses a serious threat to our wildlife and related wildlife industries. There are seven main types of the disease, which have similar symptoms.