GEORGE NEWS - Roaming cattle in the informal farming sector are a priority for vaccination against foot-and-mouth disease, although it will be a logistical challenge.
Once the outbreak areas have been vaccinated, they are next in line as vaccines become available.
At a media briefing at the Garden Route joint operations centre on Monday, George state vet Dr Leana Janse van Rensburg said “it will be quite a job” as they will have to provide co-ordination and handling facilities.
However, the state vet’s office has the assistance of the Agricultural Producer Support and Development Section (which is part of the Western Cape Agriculture Department) as well as some farmers’ organisations that could help to identify the cattle owners and obtain their contact details. Specific areas will be targeted and vaccination will be done on a specific day.
Regarding the movement of wildlife, Janse van Rensburg said CapeNature has agreed to stop all permits for wild animals to be moved into the area.
“At the moment it does not seem as if your normal antelope species really play a role in the epidemiology of transmitting the virus.”
The one exception is buffalo that become carriers, but in the Western Cape, only disease-free buffalo are allowed, which means they are free from, among others, FMD, TB and brucellosis. “People obviously want to keep them that way.”
Buffalo and cattle should therefore be kept separate.
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