There are many pathways of animal disease introduction and state and federal governments have programs in place to decrease the risk. However, no prevention plan is failsafe. If a serious animal disease enters our country there would be many ways for the rapid spread of disease throughout our animal populations. Monitoring Animal Disease L aboratory personnel and practicing veterinarians are required by law to report suspected FADs and certain severe domestic diseases. Producers are encouraged to be aware of the potential signs of FADs and to call their veterinarians when animals under their care experience show suspect signs.
Early notification allows for prompt control, containment, and, when possible, eradication.
The California Reportable Diseases of Animals and Poultry specifies the diseases to report and the timeframe and method for reporting. The state veterinarians office is responsible for receiving, validating, and ensuring the quality of data reported for their state. The Centers for Epidemiology and Animal Health serves as a national collection and dissemination center. Animal industry Quality Assurance Programs are excellent sources of information about the care and handling of livestock. Quality Assurance Programs exist for pork , beef , dairy , egg , poultry meat, and sheep industry groups.