Movement Networks of Domestic Livestock Susceptible to Food and Mouth Disease in Thailand.

Abstract

Foot and mouth disease (FMD) is one of the most common diseases in livestock that causes great losses to industrial livestock production. FMD may spread through animal movements. Therefore, this study aimed to analyze the patterns of domestic livestock movements susceptible to FMD using social network analysis and exponential random graph models (ERGMs). Three years of secondary data on animal movements from January 2017 to December 2019 were analyzed and simulated. We found that pig movements account for the largest proportion of FMD each year. Central Thailand was seemingly prominent for animal movements. For ERGMs, the microstructures: edges, mutual, TwoPath, and triangle, were tested and appeared in the movement networks for all the years. The results of our data analysis would help relevant authorities better understand animal movement patterns resulting in superior planning and surveillance for disease control. Moreover, this study's findings can be applied to analyze animal movement patterns globally, aiding in the development of effective disease prevention and control policies. Understanding these patterns enhances planning and surveillance for disease control across various regions.