Proposal for new FMD dispensation

The Red Meat and Livestock Primary Cluster should investigate the possibility of applying to qualify for foot-and-mouth disease (FMD)-free status from the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) after introducing vaccinations across South Africa against the disease.

This was according to a proposal tabled by Arthur de Villiers, a Bonsmara stud breeder in the Free State, at the recent FMD information day held in Bothaville.

According to De Villiers, countries such as Brazil and Paraguay had exported red meat successfully for a number of years with an FMD-free status obtained from the OIE, thanks to vaccinations.

Responding to questions from Farmer’s Weekly, Dr José Puoli, an animal scientist working in Brazil and Paraguay, said both countries exported meat globally, except to countries that were part of the North American Free Trade Agreement, namely Canada, Mexico and the US.

Reuters reported that the OIE had bestowed an ‘FMD-free with vaccination’ status on Brazil about four years ago, which had opened up new export opportunities for the country. This allowed Brazil access to many top-tier global markets that were previously hesitant to import red meat and red-meat products from the country because of FMD.

James Faber, chairperson of the Red Meat Producers’ Organisation, said livestock in the so-called FMD buffer zones or protection zones in the northern parts of South Africa were inoculated regularly against the disease, as legally required.

However, rolling out such vaccinations on a national scale would be an extremely challenging prospect, both practically and financially.

He called on government and the private sector to rather concentrate on adhering to legal requirements pertaining to the management of the disease and become far more vigilant in terms of biosecurity.

“FMD is the most contagious disease in mammals and could cause severe economic losses in susceptible clovenhoofed animals, according to the OIE. Biosecurity and disease management have [therefore] become very important cornerstones in the effort to contain FMD.

“[However], if these strategies and practices are not enforced consistently, there is a greater risk of introducing the disease [along with] major economic costs,” he said. – Annelie Coleman