Important facts you should know about foot-and-mouth disease (FMD)

• Foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) is a controlled animal disease in terms of the Animal Diseases Act, 1984 (35 of 1984).
• FMD is caused by a virus, which only affects cloven-hoofed animals e.g. cattle, sheep, goats, and pigs and cloven-hoofed wildlife, such as buffalo and antelope. People do not get FMD.
• FMD causes fever, which is followed by the development of blisters chiefly in the mouth and feet. Therefore, animals may stop eating and become lame.
• It spreads rapidly if not controlled and can be transmitted by contact with infected animals or their products, as well as by people or equipment, including vehicles, tools, gloves, clothes, and ropes that have been in contact with FMD infected animals.
• It is a herd disease. Therefore, if one animal in the herd is infected; the whole herd must be considered as potentially infected.
• FMD has a severe negative impact on the economy of the country as it affects international and local trade in animals, animal products, and related products such as feed and trophies.
• Certain areas of South Africa have been legislated as the FMD controlled areas, an area where control measures, such as vaccination and movement control are implemented. Please contact your local state veterinarian, Animal Health Technician, or Extension Officer to find out if your animals are within the FMD controlled area and what control measures you must adhere to.
• All owners, managers, and persons working with cloven-hoofed animals must be vigilant and use good biosecurity practices to keep their herds safe.
• If you think your animals may have FMD, please inform your Animal Health Technician, Extension Officer, or State Veterinarian immediately. Do not move any animals from the property until the State Veterinarian has confirmed the animals do not have FMD.
• In the event of an outbreak, different control measures may be proclaimed by the Director Animal Health and this normally includes, but is not limited to: quarantine, movement control of animals and animal products and vaccination.
• Owners are responsible for the health of their animals and may be prosecuted under the Animal Disease Act, 1984 (35 of 1984) and the Consumer Protection Act, 2008 (68 of 2008) if they propagate the spread of FMD.

Feel free to contact your nearest state or private veterinarian or animal health technician for further information.

Important facts you should know about FMD English 

Foot-and-mouth disease Z-FOLD English