When FMD hits: Protocols and practices

South Africa's cattle sector faces tremendous challenges regarding biosecurity and traceability. This year, the dairy industry was among the hardest hit by foot-and-mouth (FMD) disease outbreaks in most provinces in the country, especially the Eastern Cape.

- By Carin Venter

Considering the devastation FMD has caused in dairy herds this year, the Dairy Standard Agency (DSA) invited Dr Mark Chimes, veterinary advisor and manager of Milk SA’s Animal Health and Welfare Programme, to present a webinar on the devastating effect of this debilitating disease but, more importantly, the protocols to follow once FMD has been confirmed.

"FMD is a serious disease with far-reaching consequences," he said. These include the actual losses suffered in the form of culled animals, veterinary costs and additional precautions to be taken when handling animals, milk production losses, added transport costs, culling of sick animals on the farm, maintaining quarantine for at least 16 months after day zero, and not being allowed to sell animals for at least one year.

Cutting to the chase

Three FMD serotypes are classified as South African Territory, namely SAT1, SAT2 and SAT3. It is important that producers understand a number of things regarding the spread of the disease. Firstly, it can spread over vast distances and currently the main problem in this regard is animals being moved illegally during periods of quarantine by owners who are desperate to sell their animals, as they have to cover the costs of keeping and feeding animals on the farm for longer.

Evidence shows the virus may spread via wind, while water's role is unclear. In one case, animals sharing a water source with an upstream farm — where livestock were FMD positive - were suspected to be infected through that water.

Producers should also take care when buying manure from other farms or feedlots to spread on their fields. Contaminated manure can lead to animals being infected when they graze those fields.

Carrier animals may show no signs of the disease, yet they will shed the virus which can lead to it spreading to other farms when sub-clinically infected animals are moved.