South Africa Fights Spreading FMD with Major Vaccination Drive
South Africa Ramps Up Vaccinations as Foot-and-Mouth Disease Spreads, Threatening Beef Supply
SOUTH AFRICA – June 7, 2025 – South Africa is significantly escalating its efforts to combat a worsening outbreak of Foot-and-Mouth Disease (FMD), with plans to ramp up vaccine distribution and implement stricter livestock movement controls. The highly contagious viral infection is threatening the country’s beef supply and has led to bans on South African beef in several international markets.
According to reports from CHANNELAFRICA (SABC) and IOL, FMD flare-ups have been confirmed in five of South Africa’s nine provinces, with KwaZulu-Natal being the most severely affected. A recent major concern arose with an outbreak at Karan Beef’s facility in Heidelberg, southeast of Johannesburg. Karan Beef operates the country’s largest feedlot, slaughtering approximately 2,000 cattle daily, and the quarantine imposed could significantly impact national beef supplies, as highlighted by Moneyweb.
In response, the Department of Agriculture, led by Minister John Steenhuisen, has announced urgent measures. Over 900,000 doses of FMD vaccine have been ordered, with the first batch expected to arrive next week. SAnews reports that R72 million worth of vaccines have been procured from Botswana, with mass vaccination programs set to commence, prioritizing high-risk areas and commercial flocks.
New directives are being prepared to control the movement of cloven-hoofed livestock across the country, requiring all movements to be supervised and strictly adhere to biosecurity protocols. Minister Steenhuisen underscored the importance of multi-agency cooperation, involving law enforcement, to prevent the unlawful movement of animals, which is a primary means of disease spread. There are also growing calls from cattle producers to declare a “state of disaster” to protect the industry from further financial losses.
The FMD outbreaks have already had a tangible impact on international trade, with markets such as China, Namibia, and Zimbabwe suspending imports of South African beef and related products. Beyond immediate response, the government aims to build permanent infrastructure for future risk management, including a provisional budget of R1.2 billion for vaccine requirements for the 2025/2026 financial year. A newly established Biosecurity Council will unite various stakeholders to manage risks and implement an effective livestock traceability system, as detailed by African Farming.
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