What is foot-and-mouth disease?

The characteristic sign in FMD infected animals is blisters. Credit: EPA/Bagus Indahono. Veterinary public-health expert Professor Michael Ward explains why the outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease among Indonesian cattle has Australia on edge. Foot-and-mouth disease - usually referred to by its acronym FMD - is the most feared livestock disease in the world. It can cripple the livestock sector, cause immense animal suffering, destroy farmer businesses, create food insecurity and has massive trade impacts for Australia. It's little wonder Australian farmers, rural communities, consumers and governments have reacted to the incursion and spread of FMD through Indonesia with dread. This high-impact livestock disease has not been on our doorstep  since the 1980s.