In an attempt to curb the spread of the latest foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) outbreak, the Department of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development (agriculture department) has called on role players in Limpopo, North West, Gauteng and Mpumalanga to adhere to safety protocols.<\/p>\n
DOWNLOAD:\u00a0Know the signs of Foot-and-mouth disease<\/em><\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n Dr Botlhe Modisane, technical spokesperson on FMD at the agriculture department, confirmed that four more cases had been confirmed in feedlots in Limpopo within a 40km radius of the auction facility near Dendron where infected animals were initially traded.<\/p>\n \u201cOne or [more] infected cows were brought to that auction, we believe illegally from the controlled zone,\u201d he told\u00a0Farmer\u2019s Weekly<\/em>.<\/p>\n The\u00a0disease was initially confirmed<\/strong><\/em><\/a>\u00a0on a farm near Molemole.<\/p>\n Modisane said a flock of 500 sheep at one of the\u00a0feedlots<\/a><\/strong><\/em>\u00a0had also been exposed, and officials would attempt to dispose of the animals according to protocols to limit economic losses and the spread of the disease.<\/p>\n These included aging and chilling the meat for specified periods to prevent further spread of the disease.<\/p>\n FMD did not pose a danger to human health, but was economically damaging due to being highly contagious among cloven-hoofed animals.<\/p>\n Modisane said the department was requesting farmers to avoid gathering livestock together\u00a0for auctions<\/strong><\/em><\/a>, shows or other activities, as well as to be on the lookout for clinical signs of the disease, and contact a veterinarian or animal health professional if necessary.<\/p>\n READ\u00a0Consumers must prepare for higher red meat prices<\/em><\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n Although a ban had not yet been officially proclaimed, Modisane said livestock that came into contact with infected animals at the auction could easily have been transported to other provinces. This was why the department had announced a temporary ban in a statement last week, he said.<\/p>\n Speaking to\u00a0Farmer\u2019s Weekly<\/em>, Red Meat Producers\u2019 Organisation (RPO) chairperson Koos van der Ryst said the organisation had noted the \u201ctemporary ban on livestock auctions\u201d in four provinces with \u201cshock and surprise\u201d.<\/p>\n Van der Ryst said the department\u2019s lack of monitoring of livestock movements after the outbreak was worrying, and expressed concern that roadblocks had been removed too soon in the Vembe district of Limpopo.<\/p>\n \u201cThe cause of this [latest] outbreak is uncertain,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n \u201cBut the poor management of the previous outbreak could probably have provided an indication.\u201d<\/p>\n READ\u00a0Frontier Bonsmaras\u2019 strategy for sold-out auctions<\/a><\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n The RPO said in a statement that while the organisation recognised the urgency of controlling the latest outbreak and its impact on the agricultural economy, it did not support banning auctions.<\/p>\n \u201cIn our opinion, stopping auctions over such a large area will not contribute to solving the problem, but aggravate it,\u201d it said.<\/p>\n Malcolm Kock, a livestock auctioneer from Vryburg, said the implication of a ban had had a seriously negative impact on auctioneering businesses in North West, and his business was virtually at a standstill.<\/p>\n