In the minds of many in South Africa’s livestock sector, the success of the country’s national emergency vaccination campaign against the foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) epidemic will hinge on a consistently timeous supply of many millions of doses of vaccine against this disease.
By Lloyd Phillips, senior journalist at African Farming and Landbouweekblad
On Friday 27 February, Andrew Morphew’s herd of over 800 dairy cattle on his Colbourne Farm in KwaZulu-Natal’s Karkloof district was the first of its type in this province to be officially vaccinated by the state against foot-and-mouth disease. John Steenhuisen, Minister of Agriculture, was present to witness this important milestone for KwaZulu-Natal’s commercial dairy sector that comprises approximately 182 registered producers collectively owning an estimated 300 000 dairy cattle that, according to industry sources, produce 2.85 million litres of unprocessed milk every day. This equates to roughly 30% of South Africa’s total milk production.
Morphew is immensely grateful that his herd has finally been vaccinated. He is, however, concerned that potential bureaucratic delays in the highest echelons of the South African government may result in consequential delays of sufficient doses of vaccine against foot-and-mouth disease arriving to urgently vaccinate his fellow dairy farmers’ cattle.
African Farming interviewed Morphew to learn the details of his concerns and about what his strategy is going forward now that his dairy cattle have received their first vaccinations.
Also read:
FMD vaccinations are free, beware of fake news – Steenhuisen
FMD | ‘It’s an emergency situation’ – Steenhuisen on vaccination liability clauses
FMD | Claims that farmers must pay or register for vaccines are false
