Didiza has since lifted the ban in selective parts of the country. Only KwaZulu-Natal, the Free State and Limpopo remain restricted.
Dr Didi Claasen, technical and marketing support officer at Afrivet, joins this edition of the Gather To Grow series on Twitter. She says that biosecurity measures are vital for farmers, especially amid the FMD outbreak.
“There are so many aspects to biosecurity that we can look at. So even if you want to start with simple things, it’s like your fences on your farm or on your property, are they intact. Because if you don’t have proper fencing, your animals can go to your neighbour and your neighbour’s animals can come to your farm,” Claasen says.
Holding steadfast
Dr Mpho Maja, the director of animal health at the department of agriculture, land reform and rural development (DALRD), also joined the session.
Maja emphasises that the ban does not extend to the entire livestock sector. It means that cattle cannot be moved from one property to another unless they are taken directly to the slaughterhouse. She adds that the nice thing about FMD is that it does not affect humans, so they can continue to consume the meat.
“There isn’t treatment [for FMD], it’s just to make the animal comfortable and so that it doesn’t lose too much weight. And foot-and-mouth disease also doesn’t kill – it rarely kills animals. So, the idea is just to lessen their suffering.”
On this session experts also unpack:
- Where and how to report illegal herd movements;
- How FMD impacts worldwide trade; and
- The reasons why FMD is a national crisis.
ALSO READ: FMD movement ban lifted (almost) countrywide
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