The South African Pork Producer’s Organisation (Sappo) says it continues to work closely with the department of agriculture and national and provincial authorities to manage FMD and ASF cases in pigs.

As of November, confirmed and suspected FMD cases have been recorded in:

• The Free State: two
• North West: four
• KwaZulu-Natal: three
• The Eastern Cape: one

All cases remain under official veterinary control in accordance with the Animal Diseases Act and national disease control protocols.

Sappo works closely with authorities to manage FMD and ASF.  Photo: Pexel

On 25 February, the national department of agriculture published amendments to the controlled-slaughter requirements applicable during an FMD outbreak.

The amendments provide greater flexibility over time, including:

• Existing slaughter requirements remain in place for the first three months after detection (Day 0).
• Controlled slaughter from quarantined premises may take place at any registered non-export abattoir.
• After three months, meat must still undergo maturation; however, additional risk-mitigation steps such as deboning and destruction of certain parts are no longer required.

Sappo has commissioned further research into the persistence of the FMD virus in specific pig tissues to support scientifically informed reductions in restrictive timelines, with the aim of minimising commercial impact on affected producers.

The first consignment of the Biogenesis Bago vaccine arrived in mid-February and has been distributed to all provinces. A further 1.5-million doses of the Dunvax-Dollvet vaccine are expected imminently, with additional consignments scheduled in the coming months.

There are ten confirmed cases of FMD and ASF in pigs. Photo: Pexel

Two abattoirs in KwaZulu-Natal have been approved for FMD designation, with additional facilities currently undergoing the approval process. Sappo is engaging with provincial and national authorities to support and expedite designation processes to ensure the continuity of slaughter operations during outbreaks.

Sappo reiterates both FMD and ASF are animal health diseases and do not pose a risk to human health. Pork available through formal marketing channels remains safe for consumption and is subject to strict veterinary inspection and food safety controls.

• Share your agriculture news: agri@ofm.co.za.

OFM Agri/Isabel van Tonder cvs