Animal Trade Research Articles

Predicting veal-calf trading events in France

Global trade has been ranked as one of the top five drivers of infectious disease threat events. More specifically, livestock trade is known to increase the speed at which infectious diseases circulate and to facilitate their dissemination over large distances Therefore, predicting animal movements arising from trade is crucial for assessing epidemic risk and the impact of preventive measures. In this study, we developed a statistical framework for predicting trading events using predictors accessible from routinely collected data. We focused on veal calves, a category of animals with significant commercial value; the dataset considered the veal calf trade in France between January 2011 and June 2019. A subset of farms with consistent trade behaviour over time was built to be used throughout the study. To predict sale or purchase event occurrences, our predictive framework was based on random forests as a binary classification tool, an approach that allows a large number of potential predictors. We explored the robustness of model predictions with respect to the delay in data acquisition and prediction lag time. Overall, sales were more accurately predicted than purchasing events. Unsurprisingly, a delay in data acquisition led to a decrease in the performance of indicators, whereas prediction lag time had little impact. Sale-related predictors mostly reflected past trading events, whereas purchase-related predictors were associated with past trading events, farm management and general farm characteristics. The model outputs also suggested that the veal calf trading network is driven by sales rather than by purchases. Regardless of the length of the delay in data acquisition and prediction lag, the random forest approach fitted on data with municipality as trading unit and a 28-day trading period provided better performance scores (F1-score, positive predictive value and negative predictive value) than scenarios with finer temporal and spatial aggregation units. Predicted trade events can therefore be used to reconstruct the entire veal calf trading network and transfers between selling and purchasing units for each period. This predicted network could be further used to simulate the spread of pathogens via animal trade.

New European rules introduced by regulation (EU) 2016/429 to facilitate animal trade: With great risk comes great responsibility.

New European rules introduced by regulation (EU) 2016/429 to facilitate animal trade: With great risk comes great responsibility.

The genetic characteristics of Sarcoptes scabiei from Chinese serow (Capricornis milneedwardsii) and goral (Naemorhedus goral arnouxianus) compared with other mites from different hosts and geographic locations using ITS2 and cox1 sequences.

Scabies is a common parasitic disease in many mammalian species, caused by the infestation of Sarcoptes scabiei. There is no consistent conclusion on whether Sarcoptes mites from different hosts or geographic locations have apparent genetic divergence. In this study, we collected and morphologically identified S. scabiei from Chinese serow and goral, and we described the genetic diversity of S. scabiei and other mites based on phylogenetic analyses of the ITS2 and cox1 sequence fragments, including data available in GenBank. The mites isolated from Chinese serow and goral were S. scabiei, and they were morphologically similar. The phylogenetic trees and haplotype networks showed that S. scabiei from other locations worldwide did not cluster according to host divergence or geographical distribution. Additionally, the Fst values were - 0.224 to 0.136 and - 0.045 to 1 between S. scabiei from different hosts, including humans and domestic and wild animals, based on partial ITS and cox1 sequences. Worldwide S. scabiei samples formed three clusters (with H2, H5, and H12 at their centers) in the ITS and one cluster (with C9 at the center) in the cox1 haplotype phylogenetic network. The S. scabiei collected from Chinese serow and goral were morphologically similar and had the same genotype. A study on the genetic characteristics of S. scabiei from Chinese serow and goral together with other mites from different hosts and geographic locations around the world showed no obvious divergence. These findings indicated that scabies likely is a zoonotic disease and that the global prevalence of scabies is probably related to the worldwide trade of domestic animals.

Undoing Extinction: The Role of Zoos in Breeding Back the Tarpan Wild Horse, 1922–1945

Although episodes of captive breeding for display and acclimatization purposes date back to the 19th century, systematic breeding for species conservation first became the central mission for European zoological gardens in the interwar period. While most scholars explain this shift as a result of a decline in the global trade of exotic animals, my analysis points to the simultaneous renewed interest in native endangered and extinct species as a catalyst for captive breeding experiments. This article considers the role of zoos in one of the earliest de-extinction projects, namely the breeding back of the Eurasian wild horse. By investigating two breeding programs, those initiated by Tadeusz Vetulani in Poland and the Heck brothers in Germany, my analysis reveals not only the political stakes, but also the different methods employed in these attempts to resurrect the tarpan. More specifically, I explore how scientific ideas about heredity and hybridization, as well as understandings of the porous boundary between domestic and wild horses, paved the way for selective breeding to be mobilized as a means of bringing back the extinct species. This ambitious goal reinvigorated the scientific function of the zoo by making it an experimental ground for undoing extinction, and laid the groundwork for its future role in the emergent wildlife conservation movement. In addition to mapping out knowledge exchange between zoologists, geneticists, and paleontologists, this article traces the circulation of specimens between natural history museums, zoos, and wildlife reserves to underscore the material dimension of ex situ conservation practices.

Upaya Pemerintah terhadap Penanggulangan Kejahatan Penyelundupan Satwa Liar Dilindungi Melalui Jalur Wilayah Perairan Indonesia

This study aims to determine the government’s attempt to address the criminal action of smuggling the protected wildlife that occurs through Indonesian territorial waters. Indonesia’s nature which is touted as Mega-Biodiversity by the world is not immune from smuggling crimes which lead to illegal trade of protected wild animals. Not infrequently, this particular illegal activity is carried out by sea as one of the trade route. With the development of modes and cases of smuggling crimes that threaten the survival of protected wildlife, this raises the question of what efforts can be made by the government in handling the crime of smuggling protected wildlife through Indonesian territorial waters. This is a normative juridical research by using statutory approach. This study concludes that in dealing with the development of criminal modes in smuggling which often increase the number of cases, the government has taken preventive measures in the form of issuing laws, establishing supervisory bodies and international scale cooperation as well as repressive efforts in the form of imposing sanctions on perpetrators who have caught in the course of smuggling.

A Tale of Two Anteaters: Madrid 1776 and London 1853

In 1776, the first living giant anteater to reach Europe arrived in Madrid from Buenos Aires. It survived 6 months in the Real Sitio del Buen Retiro before being transferred to the newly founded Real Gabinete de Historia Natural. In 1853, 77 years later, a second anteater was brought to London by two German showmen and exhibited at a shop in Bloomsbury, where it was visited by the novelist Charles Dickens. The animal was subsequently purchased by the Zoological Society of London, which classed it as one of the most important additions to the menagerie since its formation in 1828. Drawing on recent work in animal biography, this article assesses the reception of the two anteaters and considers their cultural and scientific significance. I examine the logistics of the exotic animal trade and trace the transatlantic networks that permitted anteaters-and knowledge about them-to move between continents. I also study the modes of representation, from painting to taxidermy, that enabled the anteaters to reach new audiences. By focusing in detail on the lives of two exceptional anteaters, the article illuminates understandings of the species more broadly and shows how different spaces and places shaped the creation and dissemination of zoological knowledge. I emphasise, in particular, the tensions that emerged between imperial and colonial science and the competing knowledge regimes of the natural history museum, the menagerie, and the field.

Rapid risk assessment tool (RRAT) to prioritize emerging and re-emerging livestock diseases for risk management.

Increasing globalization and international trade contribute to rapid expansion of animal and human diseases. Hence, preparedness is warranted to prevent outbreaks of emerging and re-emerging diseases or detect outbreaks in an early stage. We developed a rapid risk assessment tool (RRAT) to inform risk managers on the incursion risk of multiple livestock diseases, about the main sources for incursion and the change of risk over time. RRAT was built as a relational database to link data on disease outbreaks worldwide, on introduction routes and on disease-specific parameters. The tool was parameterized to assess the incursion risk of 10 livestock diseases for the Netherlands by three introduction routes: legal trade in live animals, legal trade of animal products, and animal products illegally carried by air travelers. RRAT calculates a semi-quantitative risk score for the incursion risk of each disease, the results of which allow for prioritization. Results based on the years 2016-2018 indicated that the legal introduction routes had the highest incursion risk for bovine tuberculosis, whereas the illegal route posed the highest risk for classical swine fever. The overall incursion risk via the illegal route was lower than via the legal routes. The incursion risk of African swine fever increased over the period considered, whereas the risk of equine infectious anemia decreased. The variation in the incursion risk over time illustrates the need to update the risk estimates on a regular basis. RRAT has been designed such that the risk assessment can be automatically updated when new data becomes available. For diseases with high-risk scores, model results can be analyzed in more detail to see which countries and trade flows contribute most to the risk, the results of which can be used to design risk-based surveillance. RRAT thus provides a multitude of information to evaluate the incursion risk of livestock diseases at different levels of detail. To give risk managers access to all results of RRAT, an online visualization tool was built.

Hunting and wildlife use in protected areas of the Atlantic rainforest, northeastern Brazil

Despite being considered illegal in Brazil, the hunting of wild animals is a very common practice that influences the conservation of several fauna species. As such, the knowledge and practices associated with hunting activities need to be researched. Thus, the present study aimed to investigate, from an ethnozoological approach, the capture, slaughter and use of wild animals in four Conservation Units (protected areas) in the Atlantic Rainforest in the state of Paraíba. 109 hunters were interviewed, and 156 game animals were registered, which were distributed across the categories: mammals (31), birds (93), reptiles (27) and amphibians (05). The use of wild fauna registered in this study is mainly associated with the consumption of meat; however, the use of animals aspets, trade, zootherapy and control hunting were also recorded. Hunting practices have existed for a long time in the study region and are currently, mainly, motivated by subsistence, excluding occurrences of hunters killing animals that they considered to be dangerous. The socioeconomic situation of hunters and their possible dissonance with the laws that regulate wildlife protection are fundamental aspects that contribute to a better understanding of the barriers and possible methods of wildlife conservative management in the region. The catalog of hunted game animals expands our knowledge about the fauna hunted in the state of Paraíba, where research has not yet been performed on hunting activities in Conservation Units (protected areas) in the Atlantic Rainforest, this being the first evaluation. We hope that our results will contribute to the implementation / improvement of public policies aimed at the management of local wildlife, which endeavor to conserve the region's biodiversity.

Cryptosporidiosis in Reptiles from Brazil: An Update for Veterinary Medicine

The concern about the protection of wildlife has been gathering attention from researchers worldwide. Zoos and aquariums have become widely recognized sites for the conservation of wildlife. However, the persistence of the illegal trade of wild animals, such as reptiles, and their use as pets can endanger not only the preservation of the species, but also allow the introduction of new pathogens and zoonotic diseases. It is important to highlight that preventive exams should be carried out prior to introducing these animals into a new facility to guarantee zoological management strategies. There are several reports of parasitism in reptiles, some of them with zoonotic potential, such as the genus Cryptosporidium spp. In Brazil, reports that explore the prevalence of cryptosporidiosis in reptiles are scarce, and very few have used molecular methods for the detection of Cryptosporidium spp., or the genotyping of its species and subtypes. This review aims to help professionals in the area and encourage them to increase their attention to this protozoan, which is usually neglected.

Henipavirus sero-surveillance in horses and pigs from Northern Nigeria

Hendra virus and Nipah virus are considered to be emerging viruses and cause severe zoonotic diseases, which occur in humans who have had close contact with horses and pigs in Australia and Asia, respectively. Both viruses belong to the genus Henipavirus. Although there are large populations of horses and pigs in northern Nigeria, no previous studies in this region have investigated henipavirus sero-surveillance in horses and pigs using the gold standard test, the serum neutralization test (SNT). A total of 536 apparently healthy horses and 508 apparently healthy pigs were sampled in northern Nigeria in 2018. Serum samples were tested for Hendra virus and Nipah virus-specific antibodies using either the Henipavirus Luminex binding assays for horses or the Hendra virus Competitive ELISA and Nipah virus Indirect ELISA for pigs as initial screening tests, followed by the confirmatory Hendra and Nipah virus SNT for both species, according to accredited protocols at the Australian Centre for Disease Preparedness. Although some horse and pig samples crossed-reacted or reacted weakly in the screening test, confirmatory SNT for all of them proved negative. This study reveals the absence of Hendra and Nipah antibodies in horses and pigs in northern Nigeria, which is consistent with the absence of observable disease in the field. However, the continuous inter and intra-trans-boundary animal movement and trade in Nigeria calls for the continuous evaluation of the henipavirus status of susceptible animals to safeguard both animal and human health.

Commercial trade of wild animals: examining the use of the IUCN Red List and CITES Appendices as the basis for corporate trade policies

Wildlife exploitation is considered a predominant factor driving global biodiversity loss and zoonotic disease transmission, in addition to a range of concerns for animal welfare and ecosystem health. One of the ways in which wild animals are exploited is for commercial trade as exotic pets, fashion products, luxury foods, traditional medicine, entertainment, ornaments and more. While the trade in some wildlife species is restricted or prohibited under various domestic and international laws, many species are not bound by legal protection and are traded in largely unmonitored numbers with the potential for severe consequences. Companies, particularly large e-commerce platforms, are increasingly adopting policies to restrict the legal trade in wild animals. Due to the absence of clear guidelines for corporate services of wildlife trade, these policies commonly adopt pre-determined species lists, such as the International Union for the Conservation of Nature’s (IUCN) Red List of Threatened Species or the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) Appendices, as the basis for ‘negative lists’ to guide which species to restrict trade in. However, these databases were not intended for this application and there has been no assessment of their use for this purpose. Here, we summarise and compare the scale and scope of species listed on the IUCN Red List and the CITES Appendices, to discuss how much additional protection these lists provide wild animals if used as policy instruments to guide corporate wildlife trade restrictions beyond the relevant legal bounds. Based on our results, we discuss why that using one list or another would likely omit taxa of conservation concern from protection, and using both lists in conjunction would still not comprehensively reflect all species vulnerable to extinction as a result of exploitation. Further, neither list can mitigate the animal welfare and public health concerns inherently associated with all commercial wildlife trade. We recommend that companies looking to develop policies relating to commercial wildlife trade consider going beyond the scope of predetermined species lists to help mitigate the harmful effects of commercial wildlife exploitation via trade for all wild animals.

Monkeypox: A New Threat?

The global vaccination programme against smallpox led to its successful eradication and averted millions of deaths. Monkeypox virus (MPXV) is a close relative of the Variola (smallpox) virus. Due to antigenic similarity, smallpox vaccines cross-protect against MPXV. However, over 70% of people living today were never vaccinated against smallpox. Symptoms of monkeypox (MPX) include fever, head- and muscle ache, lymphadenopathy and a characteristic rash that develops into papules, vesicles and pustules which eventually scab over and heal. MPX is less often fatal (case fatality rates range from <1% to up to 11%) than smallpox (up to 30%). MPXV is endemic in sub-Saharan Africa, infecting wild animals and causing zoonotic outbreaks. Exotic animal trade and international travel, combined with the increasing susceptibility of the human population due to halted vaccination, facilitated the spread of MPXV to new areas. The ongoing outbreak, with >10,000 cases in >50 countries between May and July 2022, shows that MPXV can significantly spread between people and may thus become a serious threat to public health with global consequences. Here, we summarize the current knowledge about this re-emerging virus, discuss available strategies to limit its spread and pathogenicity and evaluate its risk to the human population.

Genome-Wide Analysis and Molecular Characterization of Orf Virus Strain UPM/HSN-20 Isolated From Goat in Malaysia.

Contagious ecthyma commonly known as Orf is a globally important, highly contagious zoonotic, transboundary disease that affects domestic and wild ruminants. The disease is of great economic significance causing an immense impact on animal health, welfare, productivity, and trade. Detailed analysis of the viral genome is crucial to further elucidate the molecular mechanism of Orf virus (ORFV) pathogenesis. In the present study, a confluent monolayer of lamb testicle cells was infected with the processed scab sample obtained from an infected goat. The presence of the virus was confirmed using polymerase chain reaction and electron microscopy, while its genome was sequenced using next-generation sequencing technology. The genome sequence of Malaysian ORFV strain UPM/HSN-20 was found to contain 132,124 bp with a G + C content of 63.7%. The homology analysis indicates that UPM/HSN-20 has a high level of identity 97.3–99.0% with the other reference ORFV strain. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that ORFV strain UPM/HSN-20 is genetically more closely related to ORFV strain XY and NP from China. The availability of the genome-wide analysis of ORFV UPM/HSN-20 strain from Malaysia will serve as a good platform for further understanding of genetic diversity, ORFV infection, and strategic development for control measures.

Evaluation of immunogenicity and cross-reactive responses of vaccines prepared from two chimeric serotype O foot-and-mouth disease viruses in pigs and cattle

Foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) remains a very serious barrier to agricultural development and the international trade of animals and animal products. Recently, serotype O has been the most prevalent FMDV serotype in China, and it has evolved into four different lineages: O/SEA/Mya-98, O/ME-SA/PanAsia, O/ME-SA/Ind-2001 and O/Cathay. PanAsia-2, belonging to the O/ME-SA topotype, is prevalent in neighbouring countries and poses the risk of cross-border spread in China. This study aimed to develop a promising vaccine candidate strain that can not only provide the best protection against all serotype O FMDVs circulating in China but also be used as an emergency vaccine for the prevention and control of transboundary incursion of PanAsia-2. Here, two chimeric FMDVs (rHN/TURVP1 and rHN/NXVP1) featuring substitution of VP1 genes of the O/TUR/5/2009 vaccine strain (PanAsia-2) and O/NXYCh/CHA/2018 epidemic strain (Mya98) were constructed and evaluated. The biological properties of the two chimeric FMDVs were similar to those of the wild-type (wt) virus despite slight differences in plaque sizes observed in BHK-21 cells. The structural protein-specific antibody titres induced by the rHN/TURVP1 and wt virus vaccines in pigs and cows were higher than those induced by the rHN/NXVP1 vaccine at 28–56 dpv. The vaccines prepared from the two chimeric viruses and wt virus all induced the production of protective cross-neutralizing antibodies against the viruses of the Mya-98, PanAsia and Ind-2001 lineages in pigs and cattle at 28 dpv; however, only the animals vaccinated with the rHN/TURVP1 vaccine produced a protective immune response to the field isolate of the Cathay lineage at 28 dpv, whereas the animals receiving the wt virus and the rHN/NXVP1 vaccines did not, although the wt virus and O/GXCX/CHA/2018 both belong to the Cathay topotype. This study will provide very useful information to help develop a potential vaccine candidate for the prevention and control of serotype O FMD in China.

Disease surveillance in England and Wales, June 2022.

Disease surveillance in England and Wales, June 2022.

Features of the pathogenesis, epidemiology, diagnostics, approaches to the treatment and prevention of small pox, the current state of the problem in Ukraine and the world

Introduction. Monkey pox is an anthropozoonous disease caused by orthopoxvirus, characterized by fever, general intoxication and skin rash, in some cases it can lead to fatal consequences; an infectious disease covered by international health regulations (IHR). The causative agent of the disease is classified as a biological agent - agent of a biological weapon. Most of the monkeypox cases associated with the 2022 outbreak are in the Western Hemisphere. Purpose: study of data on etiological, pathogenetic, epidemiological aspects, modern approaches to the diagnosis, treatment and prevention of monkeypox, the state of the problem in Ukraine and the world. Materials and methods: to perform the task, a review of publications was conducted in electronic databases of medical publications PubMed Medline of the US National Library of Medicine (NLM), Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) website of the federal agency of the Ministry of Health USA. Results: The second generation ACAM2000 and third generation JYNNEOS™ monkeypox vaccines are currently available. Both vaccines are able to create immunity against monkeypox. Post-exposure vaccination can help prevent or reduce the severity of monkeypox. ACAM2000 is a single-dose vaccinia vaccine licensed by the FDA for the prevention of smallpox. Full immunity is achieved 4 weeks after vaccination. FDA expanded access to investigational protocol allows use of ACAM2000 for monkeypox immunization during an outbreak. The immunogenicity and protective efficacy of ACAM2000 is equivalent to that of the first generation Dryvax® smallpox vaccine. Smallpox vaccine virus is used as a live attenuated virus in the smallpox vaccine. Cases of encephalitis and Guillain-Barré syndrome following smallpox vaccination show that the incidence varies not only from place to place, but also from year to year in the same place. For the purposes of containment of the outbreak, prevention to reduce the risk of transmission from person to person, immediate detection of new cases and surveillance measures are necessary. Health care workers who provide care to patients with suspected or confirmed monkeypox who work with their specimens should use standard precautions to control infection. Specimens taken from animals or humans suspected of having monkeypox should be handled in equipped laboratories by trained personnel. According to WHO recommendations, samples taken from patients should be appropriately labeled, prepared for transportation using triple packaging. To prevent the further spread of monkeypox through the animal trade, captive animals potentially infected with smallpox must be isolated from other animals and quarantined for 30 days. Conclusions: 1.The monkeypox virus, which used to be endemic to certain regions of Africa, is now a global concern, with cases increasingly being reported in regions of the Western Hemisphere. 2. In connection with the fact that transmission from person to person most often occurs through airborne droplets or through direct contact with the mucous secretions of an infected person, social distancing and contact tracing are advisable. 3. In the last 6 months, cases of monkeypox have been confirmed among middle-aged people, which can be explained by the loss of cross-immunity from the smallpox vaccine. 4. The monkeypox virus multiplies in the cytoplasm and matures, creating primary viremia. Manifestations of a severe course of monkeypox are bronchopneumonia, respiratory distress syndrome, encephalitis, chorioretinal scars on the retina, etc. To minimize the risk of complications, it is advisable to provide timely treatment. 5. Medical organizations around the world are focused on understanding how cases of monkeypox are increasingly occurring in countries in the Western Hemisphere. 6. The study of etiotropic methods of treating monkey pox is promising.

3-D Classification of Agricultural Areas of Turkey using Mammalian Livestock Existence

Animal production is valuable importance for human being and countries in terms of both economic and human nutrition. To increase the value of benefits from the livestock sector, there are many attempts to make policies. In this study, 26 different agricultural areas of Turkey according to their agricultural properties were clustered by using mammalian livestock existence such as cattle, water buffalo, sheep, goat and horse. For this aim 3-D clustering was applied using R software with FactoMineR and factoextra packages. The results showed that the number of 26 agricultural areas were clustered in four clusters. TR83 area including Samsun, Tokat, Çorum and Amasya cities was formed in a cluster lonely. The second cluster included agricultural areas of TRA2, TRC2 and TRB2 that these areas consist of the cities Ağrı, Kars, Iğdır, Ardahan, Şanlıurfa, Diyarbakır, Van, Muş, Bitlis and Hakkari. TRC3, TR62 and TR61 agricultural areas formed the third cluster including the cities of Mardin, Batman, Şırnak, Siirt, Adana, Mersin, Antalya, Isparta and Burdur. The other agricultural areas were included in the fourth cluster. These results are also important for traders' financial and human capital and trading practices such as the use of brokers and regular suppliers and customers had varying effects on margins and costs of animal trade. It is also amenable to public policy to improve the market environment and marketing efficiency.

Animal Trade Histories in the Indian Ocean World, by Martha Chaiklin, Philip Gooding, Gwyn Campbell (eds)

Animal Trade Histories in the Indian Ocean World, by Martha Chaiklin, Philip Gooding, Gwyn Campbell (eds)

Phylodynamic and phylogeographic reconstruction of beak and feather disease virus epidemiology and its implications for the international exotic bird trade.

Beak and feather disease virus (BFDV) infects domestic and wild psittacine species and is able to cause progressive beak, claw and feather malformation and necrosis. In addition to having an impact on the health and welfare of domesticated birds, BFDV represents a significant threat to wild endangered species. Understanding the epidemiology, dynamics, viral migration rate, interaction between wild and domestic animals and the effect of implemented control strategies is fundamental in controlling the spread of the disease. With this in mind, a phylodynamic and phylogeographic analysis has been performed on a database of more than 400 replication-associated protein (Rep) gene (ORF1) sequences downloaded from Genbank including some recently generated sequences from fifteen samples collected in Namibia. The results allowed us to reconstruct the variation of viral population size and demonstrated the effect of enforced international bans on these dynamics. A good correlation was found between viral migration rate and the intensity of animal trade between regions over time. A dominant flux of viral strains was observed from wild to domestic populations, highlighting the directionality of viral transmission and the risk associated with the capturing and trade of wild birds. Nevertheless, the flow of viruses from domestic to wild species was not negligible and should be considered as a threat to biodiversity. Therefore, considering the strong relationship demonstrated in this study between animal trade and BFDV viral fluxes more effort should be made to prevent contact opportunities between wild and domestic populations from different countries in order to control disease spread.

Modelling transmission of Mycobacterium avium subspecies paratuberculosis between Irish dairy cattle herds

Bovine paratuberculosis is an endemic disease caused by Mycobacterium avium subspecies paratuberculosis (Map). Map is mainly transmitted between herds through movement of infected but undetected animals. Our objective was to investigate the effect of observed herd characteristics on Map spread on a national scale in Ireland. Herd characteristics included herd size, number of breeding bulls introduced, number of animals purchased and sold, and number of herds the focal herd purchases from and sells to. We used these characteristics to classify herds in accordance with their probability of becoming infected and of spreading infection to other herds. A stochastic individual-based model was used to represent herd demography and Map infection dynamics of each dairy cattle herd in Ireland. Data on herd size and composition, as well as birth, death, and culling events were used to characterize herd demography. Herds were connected with each other through observed animal trade movements. Data consisted of 13 353 herds, with 4 494 768 dairy female animals, and 72 991 breeding bulls. We showed that the probability of an infected animal being introduced into the herd increases both with an increasing number of animals that enter a herd via trade and number of herds from which animals are sourced. Herds that both buy and sell a lot of animals pose the highest infection risk to other herds and could therefore play an important role in Map spread between herds.