By Vida Booysen

As the foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) crisis continues to unfold at the country’s largest feedlot over the past two weeks, concerned farmers and consumers have been raising questions on various discussion forums about the disease and its broader implications. Here, experts respond to some of the most pressing concerns:

1. Will China extend its current ban on South African red meat to include wool, as it has in the past?

The current FMD outbreak in South Africa does not directly affect wool exports to China. Health protocols implemented after the previous outbreak remain in place, and wool exports are continuing as usual, according to Dan Kriek, general manager of the National Wool Growers’ Association of South African.

A separate trade agreement – known as the “Greasy Wool Protocol” – governs wool exports between South Africa and China. It involves treatment of the wool to eliminate the risk of disease transmission, even during outbreaks of FMD. “China remains one of the biggest buyers of South African wool, and our product is highly sought after in their market,” Kriek says.

2. Can foot-and-mouth disease be spread by transporting hay bales from one farm to another?

In up to 95% of cases, FMD is spread directly by infected animals, says Dr Danie Odendaal, director of the Veterinarian Network. That’s why it’s crucial to know the origin of any animals you bring onto your farm, and to quarantine them first.
Hay can potentially carry the virus, but Dr Odendaal says this only occurs under specific circumstances. “The virus can survive in hay for 30 to 60 days, but only if the hay was harvested and baled on a farm experiencing an active outbreak.”

The risk of contamination depends on how much of the virus is present in the feed. If the hay has been contaminated by saliva, nasal discharge, milk, urine, faeces, or fluid from the blisters of infected animals, and that hay is then consumed by susceptible livestock, transmission is possible.
“But if you’re really talking about risk, the biggest concern is a truck that has manure, urine and saliva from infected animals arriving on your farm.” Hosing down such a vehicle once it’s already on your farm won’t help – in fact, it could spread the virus further.

Dr Odendaal recommends that workers, especially on dairy farms, wear overalls and rubber boots on the farm, and remove them before leaving. Boots must be thoroughly washed and disinfected.

3. If I vaccinate my cattle, they’ll test positive for FMD. How can I prove it’s from the vaccine and not the actual virus?

It’s true that vaccinated animals will test positive for antibodies, confirms Dr Frikkie Maré, CEO of the Red Meat Producers’ Organisation. However, he stresses that vaccination is not a decision individual farmers can make on their own.
Vaccination is carried out by the authorities, and only on confirmed positive farms, adjacent farms or in specific control zones, he explains. Dairy herds were vaccinated because dairy cattle are particularly vulnerable to the effects of the disease. To ensure traceability, all vaccinated cattle are clearly marked with an “F” branded on their necks, indicating that they have been vaccinated.
Dr Maré adds that laboratory tests can distinguish between natural infection and vaccination. When animals are naturally infected, they usually respond to just one serotype of the virus. But in vaccinated animals, the test will detect antibodies to all three Southern African Territories (SAT) serotypes – SAT1, SAT2 and SAT3 – included in the vaccine.

4. Does this crisis mean consumers will pay more for red meat in the near future?

The recent FMD outbreak at the Karan Beef feedlot is a factor that may influence red meat prices in South Africa over the coming weeks, but this doesn’t necessarily mean that consumers will be paying more, says Prof Johan Willemse, independent agricultural economist.
“My understanding is that Karan Beef may be able to resume slaughtering within two to three weeks, once the quarantine period ends. That will allow a return to more normal supply levels. Class A carcass prices, which are currently elevated, could then start to decline. In fact, I don’t expect prices to rise. On the contrary, with reduced exports to China, more product may remain in the domestic market, which could stabilise or even ease prices.”

Prof Willemse adds that this may help prices move more sideways in the short term. He expects weaner calf prices to remain under pressure for the next three to four months until the situation normalises.
He also points out that several interventions are already in place to help manage the crisis, including the recently established central operations centre at the Red Meat Industry Services headquarters in Pretoria, and the procurement of about 900 000 vaccine doses. These measures should help restore stability to the market.