By Akani Nkuna
In a major shift with wide-reaching implications for the agricultural sector, the Agriculture Department will embark on the country’s first mass poultry vaccination campaign to combat avian influenza.
The department has secured vaccine stocks, reinforced cold chain infrastructure and is implementing strict traceability and reporting systems as part of the national preparedness plan to protect the local poultry industry and safeguard food security.
“Our vaccination team, comprised of poultry specialist vets from the University of Pretoria, along with the Agricultural Research Council, has received a list of farms to be vaccinated from the poultry industry and is prioritising high risk areas and commercial flocks to contain the virus and prevent further culling,” said Agriculture Minister John Steenhuisen.
A total of 50 animal health technicians have been appointed on short-term contracts to assist with the vaccination rollout, with their induction and refresher training set to begin next week.
Steenhuisen also said that the department has procured over 900,000 vaccine doses to cover the foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) outbreak in KwaZulu-Natal.
The first batch is expected to arrive next week, while investigations, including forward and backward tracing, are still underway in Gauteng to assess the extent of the outbreak.
“These plans are not only about responding to outbreaks, but also about building permanent infrastructure to manage future risks,” said Steenhuisen.
“More broadly, we are establishing a Biosecurity Council that will bring together the South African Police Service (SAPS), veterinarians, scientists, the Border Management Authority and industry. We are rolling out a farm to fork national traceability system for livestock.”
The minister said an abattoir in Vryheid has been designated for slaughtering animals under FMD restrictions, and a system was being implemented to assess farm-level biosecurity and tailor control measures accordingly.
“The biosecurity, traceability and record keeping of animals bought and sold at auctions and similar industries were raised as a specific concern and this will be addressed by government in the near future,” Steenhuisen added.
Due to the spread of KZN FMD outbreaks to Mpumalanga and Gauteng, China has suspended imports of cloven-hoofed animals and related products from South Africa.
The suspension currently applies only to beef exports according to preliminary information.
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