AB: The slaughter of all susceptible species in outbreaks of foot and mouth disease (FMD) has been the method used for decades when an outbreak occurs, in countries normally free of the disease. Used in conjunction with other disease prevention measures aimed at limiting the spread of the virus (including bans on movement and use of disinfectants), it will remain certainly so in the future. Preventative culling, or the slaughter of apparently healthy animals that may have been infected by the FMD virus outside of an outbreak, is a method that has been introduced in more recent times. In some countries, where the objective is to prevent outbreaks of the disease, this method can show itself to be a very effective means of preventing an epizootic. However, this can lead to the destruction of numerous herds of healthy animals, in turn bringing financial difficulty and provoking increased public opposition. The decision to employ this method needs to follow on the form of a risk analysis taking relevant factors into account. This article presents one such qualitative line of reasoning, and concludes with a plan to help decision-making that may include ring vaccination.