Foot And Mouth spreads to five commercial facilities in Limpopo

LIMPOPO –  In a joint statement with the National Animal Health Forum, the department confirmed that the infected animals were traced back to an auction facility in Limpopo. At least five commercial facilities have been affected and all known infected properties have been placed under quarantine, they said. The department added that more properties could be affected had the owners purchased livestock from the same auction.

Read more: Positive Foot and Mouth case confirmed in Molemole district

Update on FMD pic.twitter.com/MS8ep0X7XH

— Department of Agriculture, Land Ref and Rural Dev. (@DALRRDgov_ZA) November 19, 2019

The department calls on all livestock owners to temporarily refrain from transporting any live cloven-hoof animals. This is unless the animals are healthy and are destined for immediate slaughter, they added.

Livestock owners should take note that the FMD virus can remain viable in the environment for a few days, therefore any animal gatherings such as auctions and livestock shows are discouraged until the situation is stabilised.

Any transaction of cloven-hoof animals should be accompanied with a health certificate issued by a veterinarian.

They department concluded that anyone found to be spreading FMD through the movement of infected stock can be held civilly or criminally liable.

FMD is a highly contagious viral disease which affects cattle, pigs (domestic and wild), sheep, goats, and other cloven hoofed animals. Signs of disease in animals may include depressed animals, sores in the mouth of animals causing reluctance to eat and lameness. The disease does not affect human beings and it is safe to consume products of cloven hoofed animals, such as meat and milk.

Any suspected case of the disease in animals must be reported to the local state veterinarian immediately.