It sounds innocuous. But foot-and-mouth disease is one of the world’s most economically devastating diseases affecting livestock.
When this highly contagious virus infects cattle, many develop painful blisters. Some die, but the real damage is longer term. Milk yields drop sharply for dairy cows and overall health takes a hit. While the disease can infect other cloven-hoofed animals such as sheep, cows are the worst hit.
