Cases of foot-and-mouth disease have been confirmed at the Karan Beef feedlot in Heidelberg, Gauteng, and Sparta Beef’s holding station in Viljoenskroon. A possible case is being investigated at Sernick near Edenville in the Free State.
By Alani Janeke, Senior Journalist at African Farming and Landbouweekblad
Positive cases of foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) were confirmed this week at the Karan Beef feedlot in Heidelberg, Gauteng. The company reported these cases and was placed under quarantine, although it had immediately self-quarantined, says Dewald Olivier, CEO of Red Meat Industry Services (RMIS). Clinical signs were observed in three animals when cattle were loaded onto a truck, and these animals subsequently tested positive.
Olivier indicated that positive cases were also confirmed at a Sparta Beef holding station in Viljoenskroon. These cases are being investigated, especially as no cattle have entered or left this holding station in the past five months.
Both companies have plans in place to manage the situations, Olivier says, and vaccines are already on their way to the feedlots.
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Possible FMD Case Being Investigated at Edenville
The Sernick Group, based in Edenville in the Free State, sent a letter to neighbours this week stating that a possible positive case is being investigated at its feedlot. Sernick had planned a stud cattle auction for today, 3 October, but the auction has been cancelled for now. The feedlot and stud cattle are not kept together, and Olivier says the authorities will assess how the two groups can be effectively separated. The local veterinary services will oversee this process.
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Vaccine Supply and Containment Measures
The 700 000 vaccine doses ordered from the Botswana Vaccine Institute is expected to arrive in the country next Wednesday, 8 October. The vaccine will be available for use after a 24-hour quarantine period. Farmers can buy the vaccine at R99 per dose, with RMIS facilitating the process between buyers and Onderstepoort Biological Products, where it will be stored.
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