A case of Foot-and-Mouth Disease (FMD) has been confirmed on a farm near Gouda, the Western Cape Department of Agriculture announced this week.
According to the department the affected property had been placed under strict quarantine. Two additional farms, one in Velddrif and another in Bredasdorp, have also been quarantined after it was found that cattle had been moved from those properties to the Gouda farm.
The local investigation into the disease began on 1 November when a Free State farmer reported suspicious lesions in cattle that had been transported from the Gouda area in the Western Cape, Nova News recently reported.
All farms with cloven-hooved animals within a 10 km radius of the affected property are now under quarantine, while veterinary teams carry out inspections and monitoring.
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An investigation into the transport company believed to have moved the animals is underway. Properties that have had contact with this company over the past 30 days will also be traced and inspected.
Although Foot-and-Mouth Disease poses no risk to humans it is highly contagious among cloven-hooved animals such as cattle, sheep, goats and pigs. The virus spreads through direct contact between animals or indirectly via contaminated vehicles, equipment, clothing or feed.
The department has urged all livestock owners not to move any cloven-hooved animals while the extent of the outbreak is being assessed.
By law, any livestock movement into or within the province must be reported through the Animal Movement App. The report must be accompanied by the owner’s declaration of origin and health status, and a recipient’s declaration confirming that the animals will be isolated for at least 28 days on arrival.
Both forms are available on the department’s website: www.elsenburg.com.
For more information about FMD and contact details for Veterinary Services offices in the Western Cape, visit the department’s FAQ page.
