R72 million set aside to purchase foot and mouth disease vaccines for all cattle affected in SA - Steenhuisen

JOHANNESBURG - Agriculture Minister John Steenhuisen says R72 million has been set aside to purchase foot and mouth disease vaccines for all cattle affected in the country.

On Thursday, 900,000 vaccines purchased from the Botswana Vaccine Institute were received.

On Monday, the Minister and MEC for Agriculture and Rural Development, Vuyiswa Ramokgopa, visited one of South Africa's largest commercial cattle farms in Heidelberg, where vaccinations are being administered.

Karan Beeflot supplies 30% of South Africa's beef.

READ: Foot-and-mouth disease: Agriculture Dept officials set for oversight visit to Heidelberg feedlot

It's received 42,000 vaccines already, and its last batch is being rolled out today.

Steenhuisen said officials are also monitoring the movement of affected cattle.

"It's not so much the borders, it's the protocols for the movement of animals that shouldn't be moving animals that have not been verified as foot and mouth disease free. Animals should not be going to auctions unless they have the right certificates."