Foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) has been confirmed in cattle in Slovakia, after neighbouring Hungary reported cases earlier this month.
The disease has been detected on three farms in southern Slovakia, in a part of the country home to large populations of pigs and cattle.
Around 2,000 animals are expected to be culled, according to a report by local news website Dennik N.
The cases are Slovakia's first in 50 years, and they follow confirmation of FMD in a herd of cattle in Hungary earlier in March, which led to a UK import ban on meat and dairy products from both countries.
The UK government said farmers and livestock keepers must be "absolutely rigorous" about their biosecurity following the cases.
Slovakia's outbreaks are close to the Kisbajcs region of Hungary where the virus was detected.
Two of the infected farms are in the Dunaszerdahely district, one with 650 milking cows and the other with 670 animals.
The third infected farm is in the Komárno region, but the number of animals on the farm has not yet been confirmed, according to the NFU’s BAB office in Brussels.
All Slovak zoos will be closed, and ‘disinfectant fords’ will be placed on the roads around the affected farms.
It comes just two months after FMD was detected in a small herd of water buffalo near Berlin, Germany, which also has a UK import ban.
The UK's chief veterinary officer urged livestock keepers to remain vigilant to the clinical signs of FMD, as there are no cases in the UK currently.
Dr Christine Middlemiss said: “I would urge livestock keepers to exercise the upmost vigilance for signs of disease, follow scrupulous biosecurity and report any suspicion of disease immediately to the Animal and Plant Health Agency.
FMD poses no risk to human or food safety, but is a highly contagious viral disease of cattle, sheep, pigs and other cloven-hoofed animals such as deer, llamas and alpacas. Rodents can also be affected.
The disease causes significant economic losses due to production losses in the affected animals as well as loss of access to foreign markets for animals, meat and milk for affected countries.
The 2001 foot-and-mouth outbreak saw around 2,000 cases of the disease in farms across the UK.
Farming Minister Daniel Zeichner said the government would "do whatever it takes" to protect farmers from the risk posed by the disease.
He said: “That is why restrictions have immediately been brought in on animal products from Hungary and Slovakia to prevent an outbreak.
"We will not hesitate to add additional countries to the list if the disease spreads."
Clinical signs to be aware of vary, but in cattle the main signs are sores and blisters on the feet, mouth and tongue with potentially a fever, lameness and a reluctance to feed.
In sheep and pigs, signs tend to manifest with lameness, with potential for blistering.
Any suspicion of FMD in animals must be reported immediately by calling the Government Helpline, and failure to do so is an offence.
The number to report a suspected case is 03000 200 301 in England and 0300 303 826 in Wales.
Farmers and livestock keepers in Scotland should contact their local Field Services Office to report suspicion of disease.
