South Africa is currently battling at least 116 active outbreaks of foot-and-mouth disease (FMD), confirmed agriculture, land reform and rural development minister Thoko Didiza. This, as farmers are coming to terms with a 21-day nationwide ban on the movement of cattle.
Didiza said the ban was a desperate attempt to try and curb further spread of FMD, a serious and highly contagious animal disease affecting cloven-hoofed animals, including cattle, sheep, goats, and pigs.
According to a media release issued by Didiza’s office, two new provinces and 15 properties tested positive for FMD in the last two weeks alone. Farmers in KwaZulu-Natal, Limpopo, North West, Gauteng, Mpumalanga and the Free State are all currently battling the disease.
Didiza explained the details of the cattle movement ban. Practically speaking, farmers are not allowed to move cattle from one property to another for any reason whatsoever for a period of 21 days, reviewable weekly.
The ban, yet to be published in the Government Gazette, excludes cattle for direct slaughter at registered abattoirs and slaughtering for ritual purposes. Farmers will, however, first have to obtain a veterinary permit for this. The exemption does not include lobola negotiations.
“Cattle that are already at shows, auctions and en route into the republic will be given 48 hours to be permitted to move to final destination after being sold, the local state veterinary office should be contacted for these permits,” said Didiza.
The minister’s declaration comes after a meeting on Monday evening with role players in the livestock and animal health industries. At this meeting, the department’s director-general, Mooketsa Ramasodi, indicated that the ban would last for 28 days. The department has, however, since reviewed this decision to 21 days.
Didiza warned those illegally moving cattle that they would be prosecuted for contravention of the Animal Diseases Act, 1984 (Act 35 of 1984).
Current active cases
Current FMD cases involved farms, feedlots and communal areas.
Didiza’s spokesperson, Reggie Ngcobo, confirmed that Gauteng and Mpumalanga was FMD free until recently.
“In the last two weeks they became infected because of the movement of cattle. We are investigating a case in which cattle were moved from North West to Gauteng, and another where cattle were moved from Gauteng to Mpumalanga,” Ngcobo explained.
Meanwhile, industry players cautioned that the ban would cause major disruption in the normal business of many different sectors. For this reason, the current ban is only applicable to cattle, as the movement of cattle was identified as the main cause of the continued spread of the disease.
Free State commercial farmer Hannetjie Human told Food For Mzansi that they have already had to cancel an auction which was scheduled for tomorrow.
“We had people traveling in from KwaZulu-Natal to attend the auction,” she said. “I work with small-scale black farmers who are only able to sell their cattle once a month. This has a bigger impact on them who are already struggling to make ends meet.”
Since the outbreak of FMD in the province, Human says, farmers in her production area have been strictly adhering to biosecurity measures. “We keep our cattle away from the roads and neighbour fences. This is to prevent cattle snouts touching. Also, at every farm gate we spray our vehicles, the tyres and our shoes.”
Biosecurity measures
Didiza acknowledged the efforts made by farmers, rural communities and industries to curb the illegal movement of animals from known positive areas, and to improve biosecurity on animal holdings.
Her department reminded people that all cloven-hoofed animals could spread FMD. The movement of sheep, goats, pigs and cloven-hoofed game animals should there also be handled with the necessary caution.
Animals showing suspicious clinical symptoms like salivation, blisters in the mouth, limping or hoof lesions must not be moved under any circumstances. They are advised to immediately contact the district state veterinary services or their private veterinarians.
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