South Africa’s fight against foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) are showing early signs of progress. According to the department of agriculture, land reform and rural development, the number of open outbreaks in previous FMD-free zones have decreased, and no new outbreaks have been reported since 31 October 2022.
In its latest update report on FMD, the department said Mzansi currently has 183 open outbreaks in the previous FMD-free zone areas. These outbreaks affect the Limpopo, North West, Gauteng, Mpumalanga, Free State and KwaZulu-Natal (KZN).
Progress per province
The report, signed off by the director of animal health in the department Dr Mpho Maja, revealed that with the first outbreak event, 115 properties were affected by open outbreaks in KZN, and 40 in the Free State. So far two outbreaks have been resolved.
“This outbreak event started in May 2021 in KZN. No new positive cases have been reported since the update report on 31 October 2022,” the department said.
The second outbreak event started in March 2022 and to date 7 properties have been affected in Limpopo. The most recent positive case was reported on 13 June 2022. Three outbreaks in this event have been resolved of which two of the properties are in Gauteng.
Meanwhile in North West, the third outbreak event started in March 2022. “There are 57 properties currently affected in this outbreak event, and 3 outbreaks have been resolved,” the report said.
The breakdown per province is as follows:
- North West has 16 open outbreaks and 1 outbreak has been resolved.
- Gauteng has 4 open outbreaks and 1 outbreak has been resolved.
- Free State has 36 open outbreaks and 1 outbreak has been resolved.
- Mpumalanga has 1 open outbreak, which was reported on 5 August 2022 and no outbreaks resolved yet.
Can you move your cattle?
Meanwhile, the department said control measures on the movement of cattle, sheep and goats in the two disease management areas (DMAs) in Limpopo and KZN would remain in place.
Farmers who wish to move such animals into, through, within, or out of these two DMAs, must contact their local state veterinary office to find out whether the intended movements will be allowed, and under which conditions.
In the rest of the country, livestock owners must provide a declaration of health and origin, and obtain the necessary stock theft documents for all cattle, sheep and goats to be moved from their property of origin onto new properties.
“Recipients of such animals must give written agreement to isolate new livestock for 28 days before introducing them into the main herds of the destination farm,” the department said.
Furthermore, all affected farms and feedlots in North West, Free State, Gauteng and Mpumalanga remain under quarantine with strict access control.
The locations involved are well fenced and movement of animals from these farms can be effectively prevented, the department said.
Affected locations in KZN and Limpopo also remain under quarantine. No cloven-hooved animals or their products may move from these locations. Farmers should take note that the control measures for movement of cloven-hoofed animals and products out of the FMD protection zones have not changed.
ALSO READ: Farmer 101: Keeping an eye on the FMD crisis
Sign up for Mzansi Today: Your daily take on the news and happenings from the agriculture value chain.
