The Swine Vesicular Disease Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2009

PART IMeasures in a protection zone

Movement of pigs through the protection zone

1.  A person may not move pigs through the zone unless they do so without stopping.

Movement of pigs on to premises in the protection zone

2.  A person may not move pigs on to premises in the zone except under the authority of a licence granted by the Department.

Movement of pigs off premises in the protection zone

3.—(1) A person may not move pigs off premises in the zone except under the authority of a licence granted by the Department.

(2) The Department may grant a licence at any time in the case of a holding divided by a highway provided that the sets of premises would be contiguous except for the highway.

(3) Otherwise a licence may be granted if 21 days have elapsed since the last premises in the zone infected with swine vesicular disease were cleansed and disinfected by the Department and the move is direct to a slaughterhouse designated for that purpose by the Department where a pig is kept and slaughtered separately from other pigs, provided that—

(a)a veterinary surgeon has inspected all the pigs on the premises, and examined any pigs to be moved to slaughter (with negative results) within the 48 hours preceding the movement; and

(b)the pigs are transported in a sealed vehicle.

(4) Under exceptional circumstances the Department may grant a licence to move a pig direct to other premises located within the protection zone, provided that a veterinary surgeon has inspected all the pigs on the premises, and examined any pigs to be moved, (with no clinical sign of swine vesicular disease) within the 48 hours preceding the movement.

Cleansing vehicles

4.—(1) Vehicles and equipment used within the protection zone to transport—

(a)pigs, or

(b)other livestock or material which may be contaminated with swine vesicular disease virus,

may not leave the premises of destination without having been cleansed and disinfected in such a way as to minimise the risk of spread of swine vesicular disease virus.

(2) In all other cases, the person in charge of the vehicle shall at least—

(a)cleanse and disinfect its wheels, wheel arches and mud flaps; and

(b)ensure that the exterior of the vehicle is not visibly contaminated with mud, faeces or other material that might carry swine vesicular disease virus.

(3) In the case of a livestock vehicle the cleansing and disinfection shall be in accordance with Schedule 2 to the Transport of Animals and Poultry (Cleansing and Disinfection) Order (Northern Ireland) 2007(1).

(4) If the vehicle is on premises that do not have facilities for this, after carrying out the minimum procedures in paragraph (2), the person in charge of the vehicle shall take it directly to premises in the zone (other than premises containing pigs) that have proper facilities for full cleansing and disinfection and cleanse and disinfect it there in accordance with sub-paragraph (3).