The foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) outbreak is making headlines across the country; as a result, South Africans are in the know of how this virus is devastating to the livestock sector. The FMD virus is a highly contagious viral disease that affects cattle, pigs, sheep, and goats. It causes blisters on the mouth and feet, leading to lameness, drooling and weight loss. Often, the consumer may be unsure of how they are part of the solution. This short article discusses some of the ways the consumer can be helpful to the current FMD outbreak.
By Dr Sipokazi Nyeleta, Operations and Learnership Manager, Afrivet Training and Technical Services
So, why should you (the consumer) care?
The consumer should care because the food we eat comes from the farms around us. For instance, the beef stew you may have enjoyed in these cold months came from a farm, so does milk and many other products. Therefore, when there is a disease outbreak such as FMD, farms must kill their livestock. This means there is less food available for the whole country. The effects of a mass killing of animals can be increased food prices because a higher demand, while the supply is low, is bound to drive prices up. In addition, this potentially opens the door for poor quality imports to be brought into the country or even worse, empty shelves because of the low supply of animal and their products.
Also read: FMD | ‘The state’s system is unworkable’ – private veterinarian
You should care because you are part of a community.
Every community interacts with agricultural practices in one way or the other. Think of it this way, there may be several members of your community who are directly involved in the food production value chain, through working on farms, the transport industry transporting animals to abattoirs and the meat to the shelves, the local butcher, farmers’ markets and other spaces of trade. These members of your community are at risk of losing their jobs when there is a disease outbreak that threatens to decrease the livestock numbers within the country.
You should care because your environment is your health.
When animals get infected in large numbers, to safeguard the health of the country and its citizens, the government may respond by culling (killing) the diseased animals. During a period of a disease outbreak, it is very important to avoid visiting farms, animal markets, auctions, and affected communities because you may unknowingly carry the virus from one area to another. Also, do not bring illegal or unregulated meat or dairy products from affected regions this can certainly bring the virus into your country or community. This is because FMD spreads quickly among livestock; it can even spread through the air.
You can safeguard your community by making use of biosecurity practices, which include not bringing food waste near farms, disinfecting your shoes and vehicles when you enter farms. All these actions can make a huge difference in stopping the spread of diseases.
Also read: FMD in the Free State: ‘Daily monitoring of livestock is now non-negotiable’
Stay informed and support responsible food practices.
Learn the truth about the disease but avoid spreading rumours as this may create panic within your community. If you must share information, make sure you get it from a trusted source like the Department of Agriculture. It is also important to understand that some food restrictions or price changes may be temporary and are implemented for your safety; therefore, buy meat and meat products from trusted sources. Don’t pressure farmers or retailers to hide symptoms and ignore disease rules just to keep prices low. Most importantly, keep in mind that animal welfare, food safety, and cleaning up the farms may take time; be patient while solutions are being developed or implemented.
Also read: New FMD outbreak puts Creighton’s 35 000 dairy cattle in jeopardy
