Study finds recovered FMD cattle pose lower risk, opening door to cost-savings for industry

A NEW study conducted by researchers from the University of Pretoria (UP) in partnership with Red Meat Industry Services (RMIS) and Zoetis has produced findings that could significantly reduce costs for South Africa’s livestock and meat-processing sectors while improving the management of Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD).

- YOGASHEN PILLAY

The research found that offal meat from recovered cattle previously infected with FMD tested negative for the disease, raising questions about the necessity of some of the strict slaughter requirements currently imposed on producers and abattoirs.

The study was led by Professor Armanda Bastos, director of the Hans Hoheisen Research Centre in the Department of Veterinary Tropical Diseases at the UP. The project, known as the 5th Quarter Research Project, examined whether certain parts of cattle slaughtered after recovering from FMD continue to pose a disease risk.

The project's name refers to parts of the carcass—including the head, feet, tongue and offal—that currently must be discarded or specially treated when cattle from FMD-infected premises are sent for controlled slaughter.

The study focused on cattle that had fully recovered from infection and were slaughtered after the mandatory waiting period designed to minimise disease transmission risks.

Bastos explained the origins of the study and the extensive testing process involved.

“Together with partners from the private and public sectors, 1,800 samples were collected from 90 cattle, sent for early slaughter at day 16 post Day Zero, and analysed for FMD virus,” she said.