Heavy rainfall in parts of South Africa over the past week has brought key agricultural areas in the country to a complete standstill. Videos of animals brutally swept during the floods have been doing the rounds on social media.
As predicted by the South African Weather Service (SAWS), parts of the Free State province received severe weather. Heavy rains caused major flooding with several farms and homes being submerged. Cars and livestock have also been swept away.
In one video, cattle herders are seen guiding cattle to safety. With water up to their necks, the cows were at risk of being swept down the river and drowning. While the exact location of where the video was taken is not known, speculation is that it happened in Vrede.
The Vrede town is an agricultural hub for maize, wheat, mutton, wool, and beef. Dairy products and poultry are also farmed in the region.
Videos depict devastation
In the 22-second video, agricultural workers riding on horses can be heard whistling the cattle back to safety.
In another video shared by snake breeder and animal lover Brandon-Lee Steenberg on his Tik Tik account, a man is seen diving into a pool of murky water on a farm.
It is not clear where the video was taken, but Steenberg shared the video with a caption, “Even the centre pivot irrigation is under… 😑😑 #Vaal #oranjerivier #upington #vaalriver #vaalrivier #vloed #flood #southafrica #joh #kuier #boer #freddy #vanderbijlpark”
After inspecting the centre pivot irrigation under water, the diver returns for air to and explains that over-watering timers are broken.
In Limpopo, similar videos of floods have emerged. One devastating video shows how a mob of cows are pushed through what appears to be a river.
Foot rot in cattle is a great concern
Unfortunately, when cattle are exposed to damp or muddy conditions for prolonged periods, it can cause foot rot disease which can have devastating consequences,
Food For Mzansi spoke with Dr Allison Lubisi, a senior research veterinarian at Agricultural Research Council Onderstepoort Veterinary Research, to find out more about this common cattle disease.
Lubisi explains that foot rot is an infectious disease caused by bacteria, affecting at least one foot in cattle.
“It’s characterised by severe lameness, reduced feed intake, decreased weight gain, reduced milk production and the reluctance of bulls to mount, leading to economic devastation for the farmer,” she says.
It is caused by a bacteria called Fusobacterium necrophorum, which is usually found in oxygen-deficient environments. It inhabits the largest compartment of the stomach and the faeces of cattle.
How to spot foot rot
According to Lubisi, the clinical signs of foot rot are:
- Increased body temperature.
- Swelling on both sides of the hoof, hotness, redness, softness, and severe pain in the space between the toes and around the hairline and coronary band of the hoof.
- Separation of the hooves may be seen.
- Dead tissue in the space between the toes, with a foul odour.
- Ulcers, abscesses, abrasions, fractures and inflammation around the hoof may be present.
- Weight shifting from affected legs and lameness.
- Decreased feed intake, weight gain, and production.
ALSO READ: Farmers: Here’s how to prevent foot rot in cattle
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