The Department of Agriculture has declared parts of the Eastern Cape a Disease Management Area (DMA), to prevent the spread of foot-and-mouth disease (FMD).
“The DMA will make it possible to control movements of animals out of, into and within the affected area. The main aim of the DMA is to prevent outward spread of the outbreaks, to areas not previously affected. In addition, the DMA aims to decrease further spread of the disease within the affected area, as this will decrease the viral load and infection pressure of the area,” the department said.
According to the DMA, no cloven-hoofed animals, animal products derived from cloven-hoofed animals or genetic material of cloven-hoofed animals may be moved from, to or within the Disease Management Areas of the Eastern Cape “except under authority of a state veterinary permit contemplated in Regulation 20 (1) of the Regulations and in compliance with the conditions of such permit”.
Livestock farmers throughout the country were urged to limit animal movement as far as possible.
“Cloven hoofed animals should not be moved unless it is necessary to allow for an opportunity to find and quarantine further undetected, affected properties to prevent any further spread of the disease. The significance of the incubation period for FMD cannot be over-emphasised.
This is the period when animals appear to be healthy, in the early stages of infection (incubation period) where they are shedding virus without showing clinical signs of disease yet,” the agriculture department added.
“Should any suspicious clinical symptoms (salivation, blisters in the mouth, limping or hoof lesions) be seen, it should be reported to the local State Veterinarian immediately and such animals must not be moved under any circumstances.”
According to the department, requests were received to preventatively vaccinate dairy cattle on farms that had not been confirmed as being FMD positive but were at high risk of infection.
“Permission was given to preventatively vaccinate cattle on 29 farms. Animals on a further seven farms were vaccinated after veterinary officials reported suspect clinical signs. In total, 84 655 animals were vaccinated on 62 farms,” the agriculture department said.
Eastern Cape Rural Development and Agrarian Reform (DRDAR) MEC Nonceba Kontsiwe recently visited areas in the Kouga municipality, who together with the and Kou-kamma municipality have cattle on 26 farms that have tested positive for FMD.
Kontisiwe said her visit was to encourage farmers amid the impact of the disease on their businesses.
“We are assuring them ever since this outbreak started we sent our vets to all the farms, they examined and are treating (the animals). We hope with the work done by the vets they are going to recover,” she said.
Agriculture, Economic Development and Tourism MEC Ivan Meyer said given the proximity to the Eastern Cape and, in particular, Humansdorp, he welcomed Minister John Steenhuisen's decision.
Following the declaration, Meyer said all movements of live cattle, sheep and goats in the provinces must be accompanied by an owner declaration attesting to the origin and health status of the animals; and a signed undertaking of the recipient at the destination, confirming that the animals will be isolated at the destination farm for at least 28 days before introducing them onto the main herd.
“Western Cape Provincial Traffic Officers, supported by State Veterinary and Provincial Disaster Management Officials, will check vehicles entering the Western Cape.”
Cape Times