Set aside a short, fixed slot this week to walk the farm with a notebook. Check animal movement and visitor records, look at water points and cow movement, and compare health and production records for unusual changes. A repeatable routine is more useful than waiting for a crisis: biosecurity means preventing disease entry and containing disease already present, supported by a farm programme and a working knowledge of disease signs.
Start with records and people
Review which animals have arrived, left or changed groups, and whether any health concerns were recorded. Keep new arrivals separate while their status is assessed, and agree who may enter animal areas, where visitors report, and what cleaning or protective steps apply. The house guidance identifies introduced animals, wildlife contact, immunisation programmes and sanitation as key biosecurity concerns; it also recommends controlling employee and visitor traffic, regular testing and isolation of new animals.
Do not assume an outbreak is over
The Department of Agriculture’s report listed 2,871 individual foot-and-mouth disease outbreaks nationally as at 30 September 2026: 1,501 remained open and 1,370 were closed. SAT1 and SAT2 outbreaks continued to affect livestock, particularly in northern and eastern South Africa. The report cautioned that an open outbreak does not necessarily indicate active viral circulation; quarantine can remain in place until formal closure procedures are complete. Farmers should therefore follow the instructions applying to their property and confirm movement requirements with their veterinarian or the relevant authorities rather than interpreting a status label themselves. notes that FMD can spread through infected animals, secretions and excretions, contaminated buildings, vehicles, food, water, equipment and people. It also describes how movement restrictions and vaccination apply in designated control areas. similarly stresses that quarantine should not be treated as lifted before investigation and testing are complete.
Check water before blaming the ration
Walk every trough and drinker. Remove visible contamination, check that water is accessible and flowing, and note any change in intake or cleanliness. Where water quality is in doubt, analyse it before choosing a treatment: the reference material warns that warm, sunlit, nutrient-rich, slow-moving trough water can support harmful algae, and recommends first identifying whether a water problem exists. Record where cows are reluctant to drink or where troughs are dirty, then assign a person to fix each issue.
Look at feet and movement
As cows leave the parlour or move between groups, watch for shortened strides, reluctance to turn, uneven weight-bearing or animals lagging behind. Mark individuals for closer examination and record when the change was first noticed. Check gateways, races and frequently used routes for conditions that may make walking difficult, and address obvious hazards. Early recognition matters: FMD can cause lameness as well as mouth lesions and fever, and signs such as lameness or depressed animals warrant prompt veterinary attention. This is not a substitute for diagnosis; it is a simple way to make sure abnormal movement is noticed and followed up.
Make prevention specific, not automatic
Review the herd’s vaccination and parasite-control plan with the attending veterinarian. Check which groups are due for action, whether records are complete and whether any recent disease pressure changes the advice. Do not copy a schedule from another farm: the material supports an immunisation programme and regular testing as parts of biosecurity, but does not prescribe a universal vaccine or parasite protocol. If disease is suspected, report it promptly to the local state veterinarian; FMD is a notifiable concern and the source guidance emphasises immediate reporting.
Use production records as an early signal
Compare this week’s milk and health records with the farm’s own normal pattern. A change is a reason to investigate, not proof of a particular disease. The UK AHDB’s October 2026 forecast reported 3,370 farms with confirmed BTV-3 cases in the 2026–27 season as of 14 October and modelled a possible decline of four litres per cow per day for two months in an infected herd, while noting uncertainty about disease impact and vaccination. This is not a South African outbreak report. Its practical lesson is to track production alongside veterinary advice where vector-borne disease risk applies, rather than treating overseas figures as a local forecast.
A small checklist that stays useful
End the walk by assigning actions and dates: isolate or assess an animal, clean a water point, update a record, call the veterinarian, or repair a problem route. Biosecurity is not a one-off response; it combines prevention, containment and cooperation between farmers, veterinarians and authorities. A clear, repeated weekly check helps turn that principle into work that can be verified.
Key points
- Set a fixed weekly walk-through and record movement, health concerns and follow-up actions.
- Check water points and investigate water-quality concerns before choosing treatment.
- Watch for changes in gait and promptly escalate suspected disease to a veterinarian or state veterinarian.
- Review vaccination and parasite-control plans with your veterinarian; do not assume another farm’s schedule applies.
- Follow current movement and quarantine instructions; an open FMD outbreak does not necessarily mean active viral circulation.