German Veterinarians Support Trade Following FMD Vaccination

September 19, 2007 — 

According to a translated press release from the German Veterinary Association, the association is urging the German government to stage a protest against the trade restrictions following emergency vaccination against FMD. They are asking that global trade in vaccinated animals and their products be allowed.

"The use of emergency vaccination in outbreak regions without subsequent culling of vaccinated animals can prevent the disease from spreading as well as keeping the numbers of animals to be culled at an absolute minimum" says Dr Ernst Breitling, president of the German federal veterinary organization, BTK. [Ed. Note: Current international trade agreements prohibit the export of vaccinated animals or their products.]

The reasons for trade restrictions are the assumptions that vaccinated animals can't be distinguished from infected animals. But BTK points out that modern marker vaccines are available that permit on a herd level the distinction between vaccinated and infected animals.

In the opinion of the BTK, losses in trade are less important than the implications for animal welfare.

Source:
Warmwell.com, September 14, 2007