FMD Is Not Over: The Current Reality for South African Farmers
- Stutt Trading
- 5 days ago
- 4 min read
๐๐ ๐: ๐ช๐ต๐ฎ๐ ๐๐ ๐๐ ๐ฎ๐ป๐ฑ ๐ช๐ต๐ฎ๐ ๐๐ ๐ ๐ฒ๐ฎ๐ป๐ ๐ณ๐ผ๐ฟ ๐ฆ๐ผ๐๐๐ต ๐๐ณ๐ฟ๐ถ๐ฐ๐ฎ๐ป ๐๐ฎ๐ฟ๐บ๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ ๐ถ๐ป ๐ฎ๐ฌ๐ฎ๐ฑ/๐ฎ๐ฒ
Foot-and-Mouth Disease (FMD) is one of the most contagious livestock diseases known to farmers. It affects cloven-hoofed animals such as cattle, sheep, goats, pigs and certain wildlife. The virus spreads rapidly and can have severe impacts on animal health, animal movements and livestock markets both locally and internationally.
Clinically, infected animals typically develop fever and fluid-filled blisters around the mouth, muzzle, feet and teats. These can cause painful lesions that lead to lameness, reduced feeding and dramatic drops in milk yield. Young animals may suffer heart damage, and animals with severe disease often stop eating altogether.
FMD isnโt usually fatal in adult stock, but morbidity (the proportion of animals affected) can approach 100% in a susceptible herd. That means nearly every animal exposed is likely to show signs of disease, making control and prevention critical.
ย
๐ง๐ต๐ฒย ๐ฎ๐ฌ๐ฎ๐ฑ/๐ฎ๐ฒ ๐๐ ๐ ๐ฆ๐ถ๐๐๐ฎ๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป ๐ถ๐ป ๐ฆ๐ผ๐๐๐ต ๐๐ณ๐ฟ๐ถ๐ฐ๐ฎ
2025: A Year of Widespread Outbreaks
During 2025, South Africa experienced one of its most challenging periods in recent years in terms of foot-and-mouth disease (FMD). Widespread outbreaks were recorded across multiple provinces, placing significant pressure on livestock producers and the broader agricultural sector.
KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) carried the highest number of confirmed outbreaks, while additional cases were reported in Mpumalanga, Gauteng, North West, Free State, Limpopo, and even the Western Cape. These outbreaks were not limited to small or informal operations; commercial beef and dairy herds, feedlots, and game reserves were all affected.
The situation was further complicated by the presence of FMD in wildlife populations, particularly buffalo, which can carry the virus without showing obvious clinical signs. This made containment and control efforts more complex, especially in regions where livestock and wildlife farming overlap.
Recent government figures put the economy-wide loss in export revenue at R5.6 billion โ illustrating how a disease outbreak can ripple through the industry and national economy.
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2026: Where Things Stand Now
As South Africa moves into the 2025/26 season, the focus has shifted from crisis response to containment, monitoring, and prevention. While KwaZulu-Natal continues to report the highest number of active and historical outbreaks, confirmed cases have also emerged in areas that were previously considered under control โ including parts of the Eastern Cape and Limpopo.
These developments have prompted renewed discussions around protection and surveillance zones, stricter movement controls, and heightened on-farm biosecurity measures.
ย
๐ช๐ต๐ฎ๐ย ๐๐ฎ๐ฟ๐บ๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ ๐ฆ๐ต๐ผ๐๐น๐ฑ ๐๐ป๐ผ๐ ๐ฎ๐ป๐ฑ ๐๐ผ ๐ก๐ผ๐
๐๐ถ๐ผ๐๐ฒ๐ฐ๐๐ฟ๐ถ๐๐ ๐๐ ๐๐๐ฒ๐ฟ๐๐ฏ๐ผ๐ฑ๐โ๐ ๐ฅ๐ฒ๐๐ฝ๐ผ๐ป๐๐ถ๐ฏ๐ถ๐น๐ถ๐๐
Good biosecurity remains the foundation of FMD control. Farmers are reminded to:
Limit animal movements where possible. Moving cloven-hoofed animals between farms, auctions or dip tanks increases risk of spreading FMD.
Isolate new stock for at least 28 days before introducing them to your herd โ even with a health declaration.
Secure farm boundaries and restrict access for vehicles and visitors.
Report suspicious signs to your local state veterinarian immediately โ donโt wait to move suspect animals.
๐ฉ๐ฎ๐ฐ๐ฐ๐ถ๐ป๐ฎ๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป ๐ฎ๐ป๐ฑ ๐ฆ๐๐ฟ๐๐ฒ๐ถ๐น๐น๐ฎ๐ป๐ฐ๐ฒ ๐๐ณ๐ณ๐ผ๐ฟ๐๐
Despite the complexity of FMD (with multiple virus serotypes requiring different vaccine strains), South Africa has initiated and expanded vaccination campaigns aimed at high-risk populations. Nearly one million animals had been vaccinated in late 2025, and industry efforts are underway to build toward broader coverage. However, successful vaccination depends on coordinated effort, reliable supply and continued surveillance.
๐ฆ๐๐ฎ๐ย ๐๐น๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ ๐ฎ๐ ๐๐๐ฐ๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป๐
Several outbreaks in 2025 had been linked to livestock auctions where animals from multiple farms mix and then return home. Itโs critical to assess the origin of animals before purchase and, if possible, delay new introductions until the national situation has improved.
ย
๐ช๐ต๐ฎ๐ย ๐ง๐ต๐ถ๐ ๐ ๐ฒ๐ฎ๐ป๐ ๐ณ๐ผ๐ฟ ๐๐ฎ๐๐๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ป ๐๐ฎ๐ฝ๐ฒ ๐๐ฎ๐ฟ๐บ๐ฒ๐ฟ๐
The Eastern Cape has remained an important focus in South Africaโs ongoing efforts to manage Foot-and-Mouth Disease. While significant progress was made in 2025 โ including lifting the broader Disease Management Area (DMA) after extensive surveillance and vaccination campaigns โ the province is still vigilant due to sporadic flare-ups and lingering controls on affected farms.
Earlier in 2025, no new outbreaks had been reported in the province for several months, and federal surveillance suggested progress toward control. However, the DMA โ which had covered parts of the Kouga and Kou-Kamma Municipalities โ remained in place as authorities closely monitored for undetected viral activity.
Despite the lifting of movement restrictions mid-year, quarantine conditions continued on farms that had been infected or vaccinated, and strict biosecurity measures were still recommended to prevent any resurgence of disease.
More recently, new cases of FMD were confirmed in the Eastern Cape in January 2026, including at least one confirmed outbreak in Bumbane Village (Amahlathi Local Municipality) and suspected cases under investigation in areas such as Bizana and Willowvale. In response, authorities have implemented province-wide movement bans on cloven-hoofed animals and stepped up testing and vaccination campaigns in high-risk communal areas.
These developments highlight that while major progress has been made, FMD remains a live concern for Eastern Cape livestock owners. Fast reporting of suspicious symptoms, strict biosecurity practices and compliance with movement protocols continue to be essential โ especially in communal grazing areas where the virus can spread more rapidly if not caught early.
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๐๐ผ๐ป๐ฐ๐น๐๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป
Foot-and-Mouth Disease is not just another livestock ailment โ itโs a disease that can change trade landscapes, disrupt farm plans and undermine hard-earned gains. While the situation in South Africa in 2025/26 remains serious, informed action, proper reporting and collective cooperation give every farmer the best chance to keep their operations secure.
By strengthening on-farm practices and staying up to date with veterinary guidance, the livestock community can work together toward longer-term control and, eventually, a return to stable markets and confident trade.
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๐ฅ๐ฒ๐ณ๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐ป๐ฐ๐ฒ๐
