KZN FMD vaccination drive kicks off, Agriculture MEC warns against illegal animal movement

KwaZulu-Natal Agriculture MEC Thembeni kaMadlopha-Mthethwa has issued a stern warning against the illicit movement of animals amidst the severe outbreak of Foot-and-Mouth Disease (FMD) in the province.

The MEC was speaking to the media at Provincial Veterinary Laboratory - Allerton in Pietermaritzburg's Cascade area, where she oversaw the handover of 200,000 vaccines earmarked for mass vaccination of animals in the Ugu District.

The Mercury has previously reported that the province is currently the epicentre of the FMD outbreak, with confirmed cases in all districts. Of the 207 outbreaks recorded to date, 187 remain unresolved. The province is home to approximately 2.4 million head of cattle, spanning communal herds, feedlots, commercial beef farms, and dairy operations.

The MEC said: "We urge the public who continue to engage in cattle movement to stop doing that. This instruction applies to even those who use cattle for ilobolo. As an alternative, online platforms may be used for dowry exchanges. We also request traditional leaders to advise their subjects against illegal movement of animals in their communal lands. We have to be harsh now so that people will see how serious we are in dealing with this. This disease is serious; we have to adhere to the animal control measures that have been put in place."

Speaking on the vaccine rollout, kaMadlopha-Mthethwa said that the vaccination drives will take place in the Ugu and Harry Gwala districts due to the strains of the virus in these regions.

Dr. Kolisa Amanda Nokoyo, Deputy Director of Veterinary Diagnostics Services in KwaZulu-Natal, said that the facility used for vaccine storage - Allerton Laboratory, will soon be upgraded to enable testing of all blood samples, including that of suspicious foot and mouth disease cases, saying that once fully upgraded it will address the backlog of FMD results.

The vaccination drive kicks off today, February 26. The department said the agriculture industry should take note that:

• Both state and registered private veterinarians are now authorised to administer vaccines to speed up the campaign.
• Private veterinarians are encouraged to register with the Department of Agriculture to assist in the rollout and expand the available workforce.
• Vet teams will be vaccinating 2,286 dip tanks within 4-6 months, covering the entire cattle population of about 2.4 million - both communal and commercial cattle.
• Initiating vaccination in district municipalities bordering other provinces and countries; meaning that districts bordering other provinces and countries will be targeted first and then an inward movement will commence.
• Deploying 45 teams on a daily basis, these teams will target 45 locations and between 45,000-90,000 animals per day.
• Capturing owners' and animals' details into the Livestock Identification and Traceability System (LITS).

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