It is not the same as hand, foot and mouth disease in humans — it is a completely different virus and does not infect people.What exactly is FMD?FMD is caused by a very small virus from the Picornaviridae family (genus Aphthovirus). There are 7 major types (serotypes) of the virus: O, A, C, Asia 1, SAT 1, SAT 2, and SAT 3. South Africa is mainly affected by the three Southern African Territories (SAT) types: SAT 1, SAT 2, and SAT 3.The disease spreads extremely fast — through direct contact, saliva, milk, faeces, breath (aerosols), contaminated equipment, vehicles, clothing, feed, and even wind over short distances. One infected animal can infect hundreds within days.Main symptoms in cattle
- High fever (up to 41 °C)
- Excessive salivation (frothy mouth)
- Painful blisters (vesicles) on the tongue, gums, lips, dental pad, and between the hooves
- Lameness — animals go lame because hooves become very sore and may slough off
- Drop in milk production (often by 50–90% in dairy cows)
- Weight loss, reduced appetite, and secondary infections (mastitis, pneumonia)
- In young calves: sudden death from myocarditis (Tiger Heart Syndrome)
Tackling foot-and-mouth disease in SA’s cattle industry needs urgency
Sheep, goats, pigs, buffalo, and many wild animals (impala, buffalo, kudu, warthog) can also get FMD, often with milder or no visible signs.Where does FMD come from?FMD is an ancient disease — written descriptions exist from the 16th century. It occurs naturally in many parts of the world (endemic in most of Africa, parts of Asia, and the Middle East).In Southern Africa, the virus lives permanently in populations of African buffalo (Syncerus caffer) — they are the natural reservoir and usually show no symptoms. Buffalo can carry and shed the virus for years. The disease spreads from buffalo to cattle when they share grazing areas, water points, or when cattle come into contact with infected buffalo saliva, faeces, or urine.Outbreaks often start when buffalo and cattle mix, especially during dry seasons when animals concentrate around limited water sources.Why is FMD so strictly controlled by the government?FMD is a notifiable disease under South African law — farmers must report suspected cases immediately. The government controls it because:
- Massive economic damage — FMD-free countries (or zones) can export meat to high-value markets (EU, US, China, etc.) without restrictions. An outbreak causes immediate export bans, costing billions (South Africa has already lost billions in 2024–2026).
- Food security threat — Dairy and beef production collapse in affected areas (milk yield drops, animals die or are culled, calves die from heart complications).
- Trade barrier — Most countries refuse imports from FMD-infected countries unless vaccinated under strict “FMD-free with vaccination” rules.
- Contagious nature — One infected animal can infect hundreds in days; it spreads via air, vehicles, people, feed — impossible to contain without government-level movement controls, culling, and vaccination.
South Africa is divided into FMD-free zones, protection zones, and infected zones — the goal is to protect the free zones and regain international FMD-free status.Can cattle heal from FMD?Yes — most adult cattle do recover if they survive the acute phase.
- Recovery usually takes 2–4 weeks.
- Blisters heal, lameness improves, milk production slowly returns (but often never reaches pre-infection levels).
- The virus can remain in the pharynx (throat) of cattle for up to 30 months — they become carriers (though they rarely spread it after recovery).
However:
- Calves often die suddenly from myocarditis (Tiger Heart Syndrome).
- Secondary infections (mastitis, pneumonia) can kill cows.
- Hooves may slough off → permanent lameness or culling.
- Long-term productivity loss is common — lower milk yield, poorer growth, fertility problems.
There is no treatment — only supportive care (pain relief, antibiotics for secondary infections).Vaccination prevents severe disease and spread but does not give 100% protection and needs boosters every 3–6 months.
FMD is a devastating, highly contagious livestock disease that South Africa controls strictly to protect exports, food security, and rural livelihoods. While most cattle recover, the economic and welfare damage is enormous. Government control (movement bans, vaccination campaigns, zoning) is essential — but current delays and shortages are making the 2024–2026 outbreak one of the worst in decades.
The South African government’s slow and ineffective response to the foot-and-mouth disease (FMD / bek-en-klouseer) outbreak — now one of the worst in decades — is frustrating farmers, veterinarians, and industry bodies. Here are the main reasons why progress has been so painfully slow:
- Lack of domestic vaccine production capacity
Onderstepoort Biological Products (OBP), the state-owned vaccine manufacturer, has been chronically underfunded, mismanaged, and plagued by corruption and incompetence for more than a decade. It cannot produce enough high-quality FMD vaccine at scale. The government has repeatedly promised to ramp up local production (e.g., 20 000 doses/week initially, scaling to 960 000), but this has not materialized meaningfully yet.
- Reliance on slow, bureaucratic imports
The state has to import millions of doses (Botswana BVI, Argentina Biogénesis Bagó, Turkey Dollvet), but the process involves multiple layers of red tape: SAHPRA Section 21 emergency permits, batch testing, cold-chain logistics, and inter-departmental approvals. Delays of weeks or months are common. Some promised shipments have already expired or underperformed (e.g., BVI doses offer only 3–4 months protection and low coverage).
- Centralized monopoly on a controlled disease
FMD is a state-controlled disease — only the government can legally authorize vaccination, movement permits, and culling protocols. Private farmers and vets are not allowed to buy or administer FMD vaccine freely without state oversight. This monopoly creates bottlenecks: the Department of Agriculture lacks the manpower, logistics, and urgency to roll out millions of doses quickly across thousands of farms.
- Poor communication and unclear protocols
Farmers complain of confusing or absent guidance: Where is the “red line”? What exactly are the movement rules? When will vaccines arrive? Which strains are circulating? Many outbreaks go unreported because a year-long quarantine follows reporting — farmers prefer to hide cases rather than lose income for 12 months.
- Competing political priorities
Critics (including economists like Dawie Roodt and farmer leaders) accuse the government of focusing on foreign policy (Iran, Venezuela, BRICS exercises) while domestic crises like FMD, rural safety, and food security are neglected. The livestock sector (R80 billion) is vital for jobs and food, yet it receives slow, reactive attention.
- Historical underinvestment and capacity decay
Decades of mismanagement, corruption, cadre deployment, and budget cuts have hollowed out veterinary services, diagnostic labs (e.g., delayed Pirbright strain testing), and vaccine infrastructure. Even when plans exist (e.g., Steenhuisen’s 10-year “FMD-free with vaccination” strategy), execution is weak.
- No rapid private-sector empowerment
Industry bodies (RPO, MPO, AgriSA) repeatedly call for private vets and farmers to vaccinate under controlled conditions, but the state insists on tight control to protect export status. This caution delays mass rollout.
In short: the government’s slow response stems from a toxic mix of incapacity (no local vaccine production), bureaucracy (import and permit delays), centralized control (no private empowerment), poor communication, and misplaced priorities. Farmers are bleeding — financially, emotionally, and in animal welfare — while waiting for a system that is structurally unable to act fast enough.The crisis is not just veterinary; it is a governance failure that threatens food security, rural jobs, and an entire R80 billion industry.
