Minister John Steenhuisen said the acquisition of 13.5 million doses in just four months demonstrates the seriousness with which the government is confronting this disease.
Image: Supplied
Agricultural organisations and industry leaders have welcomed the arrival of 3.5 million doses of foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) vaccines, saying rapid vaccination is critical to containing the spread of the disease and protecting South Africa’s livestock industry.
Minister of Agriculture John Steenhuisen last week announced that the latest shipment of Biogénesis Bagó vaccines is the largest single consignment of FMD vaccines ever imported into South Africa.
Steenhuisen said provinces must urgently accelerate frontline vaccination efforts to protect the country’s national herd of around 14 million cattle. He said the acquisition of 13.5 million doses in just four months demonstrates the seriousness with which the government is confronting this disease.
“If we maintain this disciplined and aggressive trajectory, and ensure these vaccines are administered rapidly and effectively, we can ensure that South Africa never again experiences outbreaks on this scale. But the government cannot do this alone,” he said.
Steenhuisen added that government alone could not contain the outbreak and urged livestock owners to strengthen biosecurity measures, comply with movement controls and fully participate in vaccination and animal identification programmes.
Dranca Neo Phalatse, postgraduate coordinator at the faculty of natural and agricultural sciences at the University of Pretoria, said rapid vaccination was essential because FMD spreads quickly through direct animal contact, contaminated equipment and the movement of livestock.
“Accelerating vaccination helps establish herd immunity more rapidly, reducing the number of susceptible animals and interrupting disease transmission,” she said.
Phalatse warned that delays in vaccination could allow the disease to spread further, threatening food security, livestock production, rural livelihoods and agricultural trade.
“Follow-up or booster vaccinations are important because immunity from initial vaccination may decline over time. Without scheduled booster vaccinations, animals may become susceptible again, increasing the risk of reinfection and recurring outbreaks,” she said.
“The importation and availability of 13.5 million vaccine doses represents a significant and encouraging step in strengthening South Africa’s response to FMD. The scale and urgency of the vaccination campaign demonstrate commitment toward controlling the disease.”
However, Phalatse said the long-term success will depend not only on vaccine availability but also on rapid implementation, follow-up vaccinations, surveillance systems, compliance with movement restrictions, and collaboration between government, veterinarians, commercial and communal farmers.
Bennie Van Zyl, TLU SA general manager, expressed gratitude for the availability of the vaccines, adding that there will be a lot more arrivals before the end of the month.
“There is a cause for concern for reinfection if you do not vaccinate within the period of six months for those world-based vaccines that they now imported from Argentina,” he said.
“So it's very important to follow up and make sure that you follow the first vaccination with a second one within the six months.”
Van Zyl added that the TLU SA is calling for commodity organisations such as the Red Meat Producers Organisation (RPO) to help plan the rollout of these vaccines as we get enough.
“In due time, we will have enough and there will not be a challenge, where we should vaccinate because it will be available in the refrigerators of the country,” he said.
“Another issue that is also very important now is the biosecurity measures that all the farms have to apply to. That is part of this whole process. It is crucial that the farmers play that role as well.”
Dewald Olivier, the CEO of Red Meat Industry Services, said that the speed of the mass vaccination drive is now paramount.
"We need to stop the spread of the disease and prevent new outbreaks.Industry has capacity to assist provinces with the roll-out. The goal is shared, control FMD, stabilise the national herd, and reopen trade as soon as possible," Olivier said.
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Minister John Steenhuisen said the acquisition of 13.5 million doses in just four months demonstrates the seriousness with which the government is confronting this disease.
Image: Supplied
Minister John Steenhuisen said the acquisition of 13.5 million doses in just four months demonstrates the seriousness with which the government is confronting this disease.
Image: Supplied
Minister John Steenhuisen said the acquisition of 13.5 million doses in just four months demonstrates the seriousness with which the government is confronting this disease.
Image: Supplied
Minister John Steenhuisen said the acquisition of 13.5 million doses in just four months demonstrates the seriousness with which the government is confronting this disease.
Image: Supplied
Minister John Steenhuisen said the acquisition of 13.5 million doses in just four months demonstrates the seriousness with which the government is confronting this disease.
Image: Supplied
Minister John Steenhuisen said the acquisition of 13.5 million doses in just four months demonstrates the seriousness with which the government is confronting this disease.
Image: Supplied
Minister John Steenhuisen said the acquisition of 13.5 million doses in just four months demonstrates the seriousness with which the government is confronting this disease.
Image: Supplied
Minister John Steenhuisen said the acquisition of 13.5 million doses in just four months demonstrates the seriousness with which the government is confronting this disease.
Image: Supplied
Minister John Steenhuisen said the acquisition of 13.5 million doses in just four months demonstrates the seriousness with which the government is confronting this disease.
Image: Supplied
Minister John Steenhuisen said the acquisition of 13.5 million doses in just four months demonstrates the seriousness with which the government is confronting this disease.
Image: Supplied
Minister John Steenhuisen said the acquisition of 13.5 million doses in just four months demonstrates the seriousness with which the government is confronting this disease.
Image: Supplied