The state vet is vaccinating all cattle on the Humansdorp farm where a high number of cases of foot and mouth disease have been detected. Chief director of veterinary services Dr Cebisa Mnqeta has has asked livestock owners to be alert to signs and symptoms of foot and mouth disease in their herds. He said to help avoid the spread of the disease, farmers should not to move their animals unnecessarily, and should do so only under the guidance of their local veterinarian.
The Eastern Cape Department of Rural Development and Agrarian Reform earlier this week confirmed that foot and mouth disease (FMD) is present on one farm in the province.
On May 1, 2024 the National Veterinary Reference laboratory confirmed the presence of foot and mouth disease virus in a dairy herd at Humansdorp in the Kouga Municipality. The farm initially recorded about 70 animals that were showing clinical signs and had since been recording an average of 10 new cases per day.
FMD is a highly contagious disease of cloven-hoofed animals (cattle, sheep, goats, pigs) and has great potential for causing severe economic loss in susceptible cloven-hoofed animals.
Mnceta said the infected farm, neighbouring farms and contact farms, had been put under quarantine until laboratory results ruling out the presence of the disease in those farms were available. The first batch of samples had been shipped to the National Veterinary Reference laboratory on May 3, 2024 from three contact farms including an adjacent communal area.
“All these samples tested negative for the virus,” Mnceta said. “Surveillance on neighbouring farms and on any other farm that is reported to have animals showing signs or symptoms of foot and mouth disease is ongoing.
“We have established a joint operations centre at the Kouga local municipality for coordinating the work of all key stakeholders to contain further spread of the disease in our province.”
Signs and symptoms of foot and mouth disease include:
- Hyper salivation’
- Animal refuses to eat;
- When the mouth is opened vesicles and ulceration in the tongue and buccal membranes are observed;
- Lameness;
- Drop in milk production especially in the highest producing dairy animals.
Clinical signs can vary from mild to severe, and fatalities may occur, especially in young animals.
“As the Department we request farmers, livestock owners and the people of the province to be alert and look for any signs and symptoms of the foot and mouth disease in their herds,” Mnceta said. “Farmers are advised not to move their animals unnecessarily to avoid the spread of the disease. Should farmers feel obliged to move their animals, they must contact their local Veterinarian for advice.
“Working together with affected farmers and local stakeholders, we are continuing to investigate the origin or source of the virus through backward and forward tracing.”
As part of the strategy to control the spread of infection to the neighbouring farms, the department said it would start vaccinating all cattle in the index farm and associated farms.
