Foot-&-Mouth-Disease-Free Status Key to Protecting South Africa's Position on Global Beef Markets, SA Official Says
19:26 22.02.2026 (Updated: 20:04 22.02.2026)
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Foot-&-Mouth-Disease-Free Status Key to Protecting South Africa's Position on Global Beef Markets, SA Official Says
The virus is "very devastating" for the economy, and the authorities are focusing on vaccination and animal movement management to beat it, Mohale Sebopetsa, Head of the Western Cape Department of Agriculture, told Sputnik Africa.
"We call upon the whole of society to work with us and to ensure that you don't remove animals from infected farms to clean heads," he noted.Vaccination teams are targeting high-risk herds across both the beef and dairy sectors, with a particular focus on informal farmers who are the most exposed, the speaker emphasized.
"We don't just vaccinate when there are clinical signs, we also vaccinate as a preventative measure," Sebopetsa said.
The Western Cape alone has 500,000 head of cattle, with a goal to vaccinate 80%, if not 100%, by year-end, he stressed.
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