The system gives producers a direct and traceable route to vaccinate their herds. RMIS has secured an additional 4.5-million doses of the Biogénesis Bagó vaccine. 

A total of 2-million are expected to arrive in South Africa within the next ten days, increasing supplies available to the livestock sector.

“This is a significant step for our industry. Supply has been one of the biggest challenges we have faced, and by bringing an additional 4.5-million doses into the country, we are giving producers a reliable way to access quality vaccine and protect their animals,” said RMIS CEO Dewald Olivier.

Notifications will keep both the veterinarian and producer updated throughout the process. Photo: Facebook

Orders will be placed through veterinarians on the RMIS Vet platform. Both the veterinary practice and the producer must have a valid Global Location Number (GLN) before an order can be submitted, creating a verifiable record of who placed the order and what was ordered.

Automated WhatsApp notifications will keep both the veterinarian and producer updated throughout the process, while the status of each order can also be tracked on the RMIS mobile application. The system is intended to improve transparency and ensure that vaccine distribution remains traceable from ordering to delivery.

Producers will not be able to order directly on the platform. RMIS says this should not be a barrier because 117 veterinarians have already placed orders through the platform during industry-allocated distribution in recent months, while any veterinarian can gain access through a simple verification process.

Producers should note that the vaccine is sold in full bottles rather than individual doses. Photo: Pexel.com

The RMIS platform now has more than 13,000 registered GLNs across the value chain. The registration system allows orders to be linked to verified producers and veterinary practices, strengthening traceability and providing a clearer record of vaccine distribution within the livestock industry.

The vaccine costs R46 per dose, including delivery to the veterinary practice, although the price remains subject to exchange-rate movements and fuel costs. Of this amount, R1 goes to the veterinary practice to standardise its fee and ensure consistency in the ordering process.

RMIS does not make a profit on the vaccines, Olivier said. “RMIS adds no markup. Our role is simply to facilitate the process, using a system that has already proven itself, so that producers get vaccine at the lowest possible cost, with full traceability and proper veterinary oversight.”

Producers should note that the vaccine is sold in full bottles rather than individual doses. Each bottle contains 60 doses and cannot be split or partially ordered, meaning producers must plan their orders according to the number of animals requiring vaccination and the full-bottle requirement.

This means producers whose herds do not require all 60 doses will still need to order a complete bottle. They may therefore need to plan vaccine use carefully with their veterinarian to ensure that doses are used appropriately and that vaccination remains properly supervised.

RMIS says Biogénesis Bagó brings not only additional vaccine supply, but also technical knowledge and practical experience that can support South Africa’s long-term disease-control efforts. This combination of supply capacity and expertise was a key reason for RMIS choosing the company as a partner.

OFM Agri/Isabel van Tonder cvs

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