FMD in Mongolia: wild life or livestock, who is guilty?

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It is a well-known discussion: cattle diseases and wild life, who is the victim and who is guilty?

On the 20th of October 2010, China Radio International (CRI) released the news about a new outbreak of foot and mouth disease in Mongolia, and the role of Mongolian gazelle to the farmer’s livestock. It is the question if the culling of wildlife is the solution, or another policy is required.

Dr. Ed van Klink, veterinary expert of the Large Herbivore Network (LHNet) has the following opinion:

“At the time, the Mongolians were planning to cull large numbers of the Mongolian gazelle without even trying to find out if they harbour the virus. I do not believe there is any information on the presence of the FMD virus in the gazelle. Even if this was the case, killing them off will not be the solution. I wonder why the Mongolian authorities are not choosing to vaccinate the livestock. Especially when there is no export of animal products of any significance, this is a good and effective solution. Obviously, it should be repeated and it does cost some money.”

Further information

Source, Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD) in Mongolian wildlife has been reported several times throughout the years, including an outbreak in unspecified animals (antelopes?) in 2004. The 2 main antelopes in Mongolia are the zeren or white-tailed gazelle (Procapra gutturosa) and the black-tailed gazelle (Gazella subgutturosa). In the southwest, the Saiga or burhom (Saiga tatarica) is reportedly present.

In February 2010, mass mortality was reported in wild antelopes in Russia's Zabaykalsky krai, bordering Mongolia; FMD was suspected, but no confirmation has become available. The animals had migrated from Mongolia. FMD outbreaks in antelopes of several species, in some cases characterised by high mortalities, have been recorded in the past in several geographical locations, mainly in Africa and Asia. One such outbreak, affecting the Saigak (Saiga) antelope, was reported from Kazakhstan during the late 1960s.

The disease spread along the long-distance north-south annual migration route of the animals, at that time counting several hundred thousand. Among the signs observed were the loss of horns and hooves and considerable mortality (Kindyakov, Nagumanov, et al (1970); Veterinariya 47, 52). The actual FMD situation in Mongolia is in need of clarification.

According to Mongolia's reports to the OIE, an epizootic of FMD serotype O (re)started on 26 Aug 2010. The 1st outbreak, in Sukhbaatar soum, Baga-3 Gun jalga, Sukhbaatar, reportedly affected 15 386 susceptible animals (3194 cattle, 3590 goats, 8599 sheep and 3 camels), all being clinical cases; none died, and all were culled. This, as reported, meant an "apparent morbidity rate" of 100 percent, zero "case fatality rate," and 100 percent "proportion susceptible animals lost." A 100 percent FMD morbidity rate is most exceptional or rather unheard of.

Similar exceptional data were included in the follow-up report No 1, dated 11 Sep 2010, addressing an outbreak which reportedly started on 2 Sep 2010 in Teeliin bulag, Tsagaanchuluut baga, Chuluunhoroot soum, Dordnod. This outbreak, reportedly, involved 6353 susceptible animals (1736 cattle, 1211 goats, 3400 sheep and 6 camels), all of which being clinical cases; none died, and all were culled. Follow-up report No 2, submitted to the OIE on 16 Oct 2010, stated that "no new outbreaks" have been recorded since the previous follow-up report (11 Sep 2010). This apparent absence of disease is in disagreement with the recent media-derived news on continuing spread of FMD, leading to an urgent need to vaccinate and to serious concern of the authorities.

The data in the current posting, cited from Chinese sources by the Chinese press, concerning the alleged spread of FMD "in 16 counties" in Mongolia, are also in discrepancy with the OIE report on recent absence of disease.

The news item:

China Radio International (CRI), 20th of October 2010: Herdsmen in China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region fear migrating wild Mongolian gazelle might transmit foot and mouth disease [FMD], which is wreaking havoc in Mongolia, to their livestock.

About 100 000 Mongolian gazelle had jumped an iron fence on Hulun Buir Grasslands (on China's border with Mongolia) this month [October 2010] in their annual winter migration to China, said Wang Guohua, a border official in Xinbaerhu Right Banner.

"Border patrol forces have been mobilized to help keep the wild animals away from livestock pastures. We also had to guard against poaching, as the gazelle is on China's 2nd-class animal protection list," he said.

Wang said poachers hunted wild Mongolian gazelle for their meat. Local forestry, health and disease prevention authorities had joined forces to inspect marketplaces and restaurants.

Arisileng, a herdsman in Xinbaerhu Right Banner, Inner Mongolia, said local people had received brochures about FMD prevention from the county government. "The wild gazelle is a threat to the safety of our herds, so we have to restrict our livestock movements," he said. In neighboring Mongolia, 20 550 out of 31 400 head of livestock in 16 counties had been infected with FMD, and 20 346 had been culled, said Orgil, chairman of Mongolia's veterinary service and livestock breeding agency, last week.

Enkhbbold Miegombo, deputy prime minister and head of the Mongolia emergency commission, said efforts to fight the disease in the country were unsatisfactory. Wild Mongolian gazelle were suspected as one of the causes of transmission of the disease.

Tags: FOOT & MOUTH DISEASE IN MONGOLIA, gazelle, cattle diseases and wild life, who is the victim and who is guilty?