China suspends imports of cloven hoofed animals due to Foot and Mouth Disease outbreak in SA
Due to recent Foot and Mouth Disease outbreaks in South Africa, China has halted the import of cloven-hoofed animals and associated products.
Image: File
The People's Republic of China has suspended imports of cloven hoofed animals and related products following Foot and Mouth Disease outbreaks in KwaZulu-Natal, Mpumalanga and Gauteng.
This follows the confirmation of two new FMD cases outside KZN.
A farm in Mpumalanga was identified as part of trace-forward exercises from a positive auction in Utrecht, KZN.
Although these animals showed no clinical signs of disease, further investigations have confirmed that the virus has spread to adjacent camps on the same farm.
'There are no indications that other farms have become infected, but veterinary services are continuing with clinical inspection and testing of livestock on farms in the area,' said Agriculture Director: Animal Health, Dr Mpho Maja.
Maja said another farm was reported in Gauteng.
'Clinical signs suspicious of FMD were noted in a feedlot that received animals from an auction in Heidelberg, samples were collected and prioritised for testing. Laboratory results for these samples are positive and confirmed that this is the same virus that is circulating in parts of KwaZulu-Natal,' Maja said.
'An epidemiological investigation is underway to trace back and trace forward all other animals that were bought and sold at the same auction.'
This led the People's Republic of China to suspend imports of cloven hoofed animals and related products.
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'Preliminary information obtained confirmed that this suspension includes only beef from the whole of South Africa to China,' Maja said.
In response, Agriculture Minister John Steenhuisen has escalated control efforts to the Deputy Director-General's office due to the seriousness of the matter.
'The office of the DDG has already held meetings with Veterinary Services and industry representatives to detail the actions required to curb this threat. The biosecurity, traceability and record keeping of animals bought and sold at auctions and similar industries were raised as a specific concern,' Maja said.
Maja has urged South African livestock owners to heed FMD's incubation period of 2 to 14 days, during which animals can appear clinically healthy, before they start showing clinical signs generally associated with FMD.
'This highlights the importance of keeping newly bought animals separated from the resident herd for at least 28 days, even if a health attestation was issued for the animals. The health attestation and 28-day separation have been a legal requirement since October 2022,' Maja said.
'The department urges all livestock farmers in the whole country to limit animal movement as far as possible.
'We request auctioneers and livestock owners to be vigilant when buying cloven hoofed animals from provinces where there are active FMD outbreaks. No cloven-hoofed animals should be accepted from areas under restriction for FMD in KwaZulu-Natal, Eastern Cape, Limpopo, and Mpumalanga,' Maja continued.
Maja explained that Section 11 of the Animal Diseases Act imposes a legal duty on any owner or manager of animals to take all reasonable measures to prevent their animals from becoming infected with any disease and to prevent the spread of any disease from their animals or land to other animals or other properties.
'Essential biosecurity measures include limiting and/or postponing the introduction of new animals if at all possible and, if absolutely necessary, only introducing animals from known clean farms with a health declaration, preventing nose-to-nose contact of farm animals with animals outside the farm, maintaining secure farm boundaries, restricting access for people and vehicles as much as possible,' Maja said.
Meanwhile, earlier this week, when the department briefed the portfolio committee on agriculture about the status of FMD, the Department of Agriculture's Dr Mike Modisane said FMD affected export markets significantly, and some countries can take protective measures against other commodities.
thobeka.ngema@inl.co.za
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