By Lloyd Phillips
The recent new outbreaks of foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) in both the Gauteng and Mpumalanga provinces reportedly originated in KwaZulu-Natal.
John Steenhuisen, South Africa’s minister of agriculture, is reportedly “highly concerned” to have learned the strain of foot-and-mouth disease recently identified in animals in Mpumalanga and Gauteng, is the same as that in KwaZulu-Natal.
Whereas KwaZulu-Natal has long been fighting numerous outbreaks of this disease, including by implementing what is theoretically a highly controlled disease management area (DMA) across a large portion of this province, the FMD outbreaks in Mpumalanga and Gauteng are new.
A statement by the Department of Agriculture says of particular concern to Steenhuisen is that no movements of FMD-susceptible livestock are permitted out of, into or within the KZN’s DMA without prior authorisation by state animal health authorities.
According to the statement, cattle in the FMD outbreak on a farm in Mpumalanga were bought at an auction in KZN’s Utrecht area. Cattle in the FMD outbreak at a feedlot in Gauteng were bought at an auction at Heidelberg also in Gauteng.
State animal health authorities are reportedly investigating the pre-sale origins of the livestock that were offered for sale at these two auctions.
“Minister Steenhuisen has escalated control efforts to his department’s deputy director-general’s office due to the seriousness of the matter. The office of the DDG has already held meetings with veterinary services and industry representatives to detail the actions required to curb this threat,” the statement continues.
“The biosecurity, traceability and record-keeping of animals bought and sold at auctions and similar industries were raised as a specific concern.”
The Department of Agriculture continues to urge all livestock owners, marketers, buyers and transporters respectively not to move animals out of areas where FMD has been confirmed and is, therefore, being controlled.
These stakeholders are also again reminded that it is a legal requirement that all livestock intended for introduction to a different property must be first properly quarantined for at least 28 days before being allowed to mingle with other livestock already on that property.
“Essential biosecurity measures include limiting and/or postponing the introduction of new animals if at all possible and, if absolutely necessary, only introducing animals from known clean farms with a health declaration, preventing nose-to-nose contact of farm animals with animals outside the farm, maintaining secure farm boundaries and restricting access for people and vehicles as much as possible.”
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