Agriculture Department launches mass cattle vaccination to save red meat industry

The Agriculture Department plans to vaccinate at least 80 percent of the country’s cattle population against foot-and-mouth disease within a year.

Minister John Steenhuisen on Wednesday announced a mass vaccination campaign with the aim of reaching F-M-D free status within a decade. 

Steenhuisen said that he will soon ask the cabinet to declare the outbreak a state of disaster. 

With two million vaccines already imported to deal with the 2021 outbreak Steenhuisen said that it is untrue that there are no vaccines in the country.

Another one million vaccines from Argentina could reach South Africa by the end of the month, and a further five million doses, including from Turkey, are scheduled to arrive by March. 

But permits still have to be obtained from the South African Health Products Regulatory Authority to import vaccines not registered in South Africa. 

"It was a big debate about whether to vaccinate or not. There were many people in the sector who had different opinions, but the role of government and the industry is to sit down and decide the best way forward. 

Steenhuisen said that the cabinet should agree to declare the outbreak a disaster, which could help to curtail the unauthorised movement of livestock. 

"We would not be dealing with the outbreaks in multiple locations if people were not moving animals in violation of the biosecurity regulations and laws that already exist. 

Steenhuisen added that legislation will have to be tightened soon to help restrict the movement of infected animals.