FMD Watch SA

22/03/2026

The vaccines are being distributed across South Africa, so is this the end of FMD?

Here is the reality that so many farmers have and are facing. The farm we received this image from is one of Three owned by the same family.

Their first farm that showed FMD symptoms, many of the herd were culled after weeks of not responding to treatment.

The second farm showed symptoms two weeks before the vaccines arrived. They were advised that cows showing active symptoms should only be vaccinated about a month after primary symptoms settle down.

The third farm at the bottom of Kamberg valley, in KZN, started showing symptoms the day before vaccines arrived. So again, the cows will have to endure the pain and only get vaccinated about 6 weeks later.

And farms around the third farm are infected with FMD.

So yes, the vaccines have arrived. But the roll out has been far from a smooth process. The KZN department in charge of holding the vaccines have inadequate facilities and have not created a clear distribution procedure.

And farmers and their livestock are still suffering.

15/03/2026

28/02/2026

The honest account of the Minister of agriculture’s visit to the Karkloof, and his engagement with local farmers.

A call for accountability is not defiance or aggression.
It is at its core, the most poignant form of vulnerability.

Questions and statements were made by local farmers and live stock organisations that “cracked the nod” to this event, however locals would tell you that prominent figures of the Dairy and Beef farming community of the Midlands were not invited.

Some of the largest dairy and beef farmers, as well as associations like the HDLA, were not in attendance. And not by choice.

And as for the answers to the questions and statements made, whilst addressed with political finesse, did not acknowledge the fear and concern expressed, and lacked compassion and empathy.

All reporting is somewhat tainted by the author’s bias however, so we invite you to watch the reels on our account, taken live and unedited from the day.

28/02/2026

The Vaccines are starting to be rolled out. But they are not all equal.

The current shipment being administered in KZN is from Argentina - Biaaftogen.

Here is some quick information:
• Strain Included: Bivalent SAT 1 & SAT 2
• Onset Immunity:
Cattle & small stock - 2 weeks
Pigs - 3 weeks
• Booster:
Ruminants - 6 months
Pigs - 4 weeks
• Revaccination:
Ruminants - yearly
Pigs - 6 monthly

Images taken at Colbourne Farming - Karkloof, KZN
27.02.2026

23/02/2026

When ointments, all the remedies and antibiotics just don’t make an impact, and the vaccines just don’t arrive fast enough.

When the animals you have cared for and put your life and soul into, are suffering more than your heart and mind can take.

When the financial debt the lack of production, VET bills and treatment bills becomes your sleepless nights.

You dig a trench, you gently move your animals towards it, and one by one end their suffering. Not your suffering though, because whilst their pain has ended, for you, the farmer, it’s no where near over.

Culling a whole herd. What does that look like?
It looks like this.

1 million vaccines have arrived in South Africa, that’s 7% of the national herd.

*Please note cullings are supervised to ensure protocol is followed.
*These cows were not buried alive. They were culled.

19/02/2026

Why are Dairy farmers advising a loss in the amount of Dairy they are able to sell even though the FMD symptoms have been managed through VET recommended treatments?
This is one of the reasons.

When a cow is given antibiotics, part of the drug passes into the milk.

Milk from treated cows must be withheld for a legal withdrawal period (as stated on the medicine label). During this time:
• The milk contains antibiotic residues
• It is not safe for human consumption
• It cannot be legally sold

If sold, residue-contaminated milk can:
• Cause allergic reactions in sensitive individuals
• Contribute to antimicrobial resistance
• Interfere with dairy processing (e.g., yoghurt and cheese cultures fail)

If cows were treated with antibiotics (for secondary infections like mastitis):
• Each medicine has a specific milk withdrawal period
• Commonly ranges from 3–7 days, but can be longer depending on the product
• Milk may only be sold once the full withdrawal period has passed
• Many dairies will also test milk to confirm no antibiotic residues

Our Diary farmers are discarding milk for you, the public. For your safety. But their livelihoods are at stake.
And immediate vaccination against FMD is the only way to combat the outbreak of FMD.

KZN. Feb 2026

* Citric acid is applied as part of the disinfection process to neutralise the FMD virus. The treated effluent then undergoes a biological process and is safely repurposed as a nutrient-rich slurry for pasture irrigation, enhanced through the use of bio-catalysts. Please note that most farms are not connected to municipal drains. For that matter the majority of farms do not even have access to municipal water as they are in rural areas.*

14/02/2026

Progress update

14/02/2026

Understanding the declaration of Foot and Mouth disease as a national disaster in South Africa.

13/02/2026

STOP. SPRAY. PROTECT

Whilst we wait for the FMD vaccines to be rolled out, here is your reminder to stop at Biosecurity Spray Points.

This evening with the collaboration of SAPS, Traffic police, CPF and Magma, the Karkloof community in KZN ensured that all vehicles entering the Karkloof Valley were disinfected in a bid to reduce the risk of spreading the Foot and Mouth disease.

Currently Biosecurity spray points are privately funded and managed, all the communities ask for, is that motorists STOP & SPRAY.