05-05-2025
Foot and Mouth Disease case reported in Mogale
Gauteng Veterinary Services has confirmed a case of Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD) in Mogale City.
• Also read: Foot-and-mouth disease outbreak: Suspicious cases being investigated in Tarlton
In a statement issued recently by the acting chief director for the Gauteng veterinary services, Dr Winton Rabolao, he said the outbreak was linked to an animal bought at a livestock auction in Gauteng, which came from another province.
Livestock auctioneers and animal owners are reminded that mixing animals from different sources increases the risk of spreading diseases like FMD.
'To reduce this risk, they are urged to follow the biosecurity guidelines from the Agricultural Produce Agents Council and comply with the Government Gazette notice published on October 7, 2022 [Notice No 47263],' he explained.
According to this regulation, moving cattle, sheep, or goats requires two key documents:
A declaration from the seller confirming the origin and health of the animals and a signed undertaking from the buyer stating the animals will be isolated on their farm for at least 28 days before joining other livestock.
'Authorities have discovered that some auctions are handing out blank owner declarations at the gates, allowing them to be filled in without proper care.
These declarations are legal documents, and providing false or incomplete information can lead to legal action.
'All livestock sellers, buyers, and transporters must complete these documents truthfully and follow the legal requirements. Auction owners must also keep a copy of the 28-day isolation agreement from buyers who purchase animals at their events. This helps protect animal health and the wider livestock industry,' he added.
A reminder of the Agricultural Produce Agents Council's rules on animal movement control measures to and from auctions will be published.
At Caxton, we employ humans to generate daily fresh news, not AI intervention. Happy reading!
