FMD Symposium 2026: A Landmark Event for Knowledge, Collaboration and Biosecurity
The 2026 FMD Symposium brought together the livestock industry for a memorable day of education, engagement, collaboration and knowledge exchange.
FMD
Southern Africa needs a new science-based approach to control Foot-and-Mouth disease
For nearly a century hundreds of thousands of rural livestock farmers in Southern Africa have been kept in a virtual trade lock-down because of Foot-and-Mouth Disease (FMD). The form of FMD that occurs in Southern Africa is in fact a trivial disease and is different from the FMD that occurs in most other parts of the world. Southern Africa urgently needs a new science-based approach to control FMD that will be to the benefit of both our livestock and conservation sectors. This new documentary about FMD, released at the end of April, is dedicated to the memory of Prof Gavin R Thompson, former extraordinary professor (1998-2001 and 2012-2021) in the Faculty’s Department of Veterinary Tropical Diseases (DVTD), who sadly passed away on 23 April 2021. Prof Thompson was an internationally renowned veterinary scientist and an expert on Foot and Mouth Disease and other transboundary diseases. During his time in the department he contributed significantly to publication outputs, postgraduate student supervision and presentation of training workshops on FMD. He also wrote the script for this film, a collaborative effort between the Department, Afrivet, the Peace Parks Foundation (PPF) and Conservation International. It was produced by M&M Pictures.
Foot and Mouth Disease | FAQ
Here are some questions that people are asking. We have created a FAQ group with DAFF (thanks to Dr. Marietta Bronkhorst for her help):Is there a movement ban on animals?There is no ban on the movement of animals in general, although it is advisable that movements should be restricted and discouraged as far as possible. The Gazette Notice does not prohibit the movement of animals. It prohibits the gathering of cloven hoofed animals, where there are two or more places of origin, and where the intention is to move the animals to two or more destinations, within a time period shorter than 28 days. Are there any restrictions on the movement of animals from one farm to another?The movement of animals between properties falls outside the scope of this Gazette Notice. The requirements that were applicable prior to the issuing of this notice are still applicable. There is no requirement for a government veterinary movement permit to be issued in terms of this Gazette.If movements must take place, it is advised that a health declaration for movement is used, which requires veterinary inspection of the animals to be moved to ascertain that they are not showing clinical signs of Foot and Mouth Disease. This assists the seller and buyer of animals to limit potential spread of disease and subsequent liabilities.How will live sales in the informal trade be regulated?The emphasis must be on self-regulation and buyers must be made aware that they must only buy safe animals. Sellers of infected animals […]
Media Statement: Foot and Mouth Disease Outbreak – MOLEMOLE DISTRICT – 14 November 2019
Media Statement JOINT STATEMENT OF THE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE, LAND REFORM AND RURAL DEVELOPMENT AND THE LIVESTOCK INDUSTRY 14 November 2019 Progress: Foot and Mouth Disease Outbreak – MOLEMOLE DISTRICT On 1 November 2019, veterinary services were alerted to clinical signs suspected to be Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD) in a herd of cattle on a farm in the Molemole Local Municipality of Capricorn District, Limpopo Province. This farm is located in the previous FMD free zone of South Africa. Samples were collected and FMD was confirmed by the Onderstepoort Veterinary Research Transboundary Animal Disease Programme. FMD is a highly contagious viral disease that 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 humans and it is safe to consume products of cloven-hoofed animals, such as meat and milk. Monitoring Following the outbreak, the farm was quarantined. Currently monitoring of production facilities, feedlots and abattoirs is being conducted in Molemole District and adjacent areas. International trade The Molemole-outbreak is adjacent to the Vhembe-outbreak of January 2019 and thus close monitoring and vigilance in the Limpopo Province enabled rapid detection of the incident. All control measures for the Limpopo Province are still in place. A number of agreements were reached with trade partners to trade in safe commodities following the January outbreak; the department has sought assurances that these agreements still hold. […]