The Swine Vesicular Disease Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2009

Regulations 11, 13, 14, 15, 17 and 22

SCHEDULE 1MEASURES ON SUSPECT AND INFECTED PREMISES

Records

1.—(1) The occupier shall record—

(a)the categories of pigs on the premises;

(b)the number of pigs in each of those categories;

(c)the number of pigs in each of those categories that are already dead; and

(d)the number of pigs in each of those categories that—

(i)show clinical signs of swine vesicular disease; or

(ii)are likely to be infected or contaminated with it.

(2) The occupier shall—

(a)update this record on a daily basis, and

(b)record details of every pig born on the premises.

(3) The occupier shall keep the records for at least six months.

Housing or isolation of pigs

2.  The occupier shall ensure that all pigs on the premises are—

(a)kept in their buildings or, if they are in a field, kept isolated so far as practicable from wild pigs, or

(b)confined or isolated as directed by a veterinary inspector.

Disinfection

3.  The occupier shall—

(a)provide and maintain means of disinfection at the entrances to, and exits from, the premises and all buildings on those premises housing pigs, and

(b)comply with any directions from a veterinary inspector concerning such means of disinfection.

Restriction on movement of pigs and other animals

4.  A person may not move any pig or other animal to or from the premises except under the authority of a licence granted by the Department.

Restriction on movement of vehicles

5.  A person may not move any vehicle to or from the premises, except under the authority of a licence granted by the Department.

Restriction on removal of anything liable to transmit swine vesicular disease

6.  A person may not remove from the premises any thing (including meat, carcases, animal feed and manure) liable to transmit swine vesicular disease virus, except under the authority of a licence granted by the Department.

Restriction on a person entering or leaving the premises

7.  A person may not enter or leave the premises, unless—

(a)it is necessary to do so for the provision of emergency services, or

(b)that person is authorised to do so by a licence granted by the Department.

Regulation 29

SCHEDULE 2ZONES

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).

PART IIMeasures in a surveillance zone

Movement of pigs

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

(2) The Department may grant a licence if —

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

(b)a serological examination of a statistical sample of the pigs to be moved has been carried out at the owner’s expense without the detection of antibodies to swine vesicular disease within the 14 days preceding the movement; and

(c)vehicles and equipment used for the transport of the pigs are cleansed and disinfected after each transport operation.

(3) In addition, the Department may grant a licence authorising movement—

(a)to a slaughterhouse in the surveillance zone designated for the purpose by the Department where they are kept and slaughtered separately from other pigs, or

(b)to other premises in the surveillance zone provided that no pigs have moved into the premises of origin in the previous 21 days; or

(c)between a holding divided by a highway provided that the sets of premises would be contiguous except for the highway.

Cleansing vehicles

2.—(1) Vehicles and equipment used within the surveillance zone to transport—

(a)pigs, or

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

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

(2) 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.

(3) 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.

(4) This paragraph does not apply in relation to vehicles travelling through the surveillance zone without stopping.