Disease resilience is built in the ordinary spaces between outbreaks: the calf pen, the water trough, the dipping facility and the gate where animals, people and equipment enter. This week, walk those routes in that order. Look for preventable exposure, check that routine controls are actually working, and contact your veterinarian or local Veterinary Services about risks specific to your district. South Africa’s recent foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) news is a reminder to rely on local instructions, not assumptions drawn from overseas reports.
Start where young animals are most exposed
Calves depend on management as much as on treatment. MaxMedia’s calf-rearing guidance describes colostrum as the calf’s first major defence: test quality, have a supply plan, and make sure the calf receives an adequate first feed promptly. A South African Farmers’ Weekly article published on 22 October says the first colostrum should be given as soon as possible, ideally within one to two hours after birth. It also advises preparing before calving, assessing the newborn and colostrum, and discussing appropriate vaccination with a veterinarian.
In practice, identify who is responsible for each birth and feed, and keep the equipment and colostrum handling process consistent. The house guidance recommends feeding the youngest calves first, then moving to older groups, to reduce the chance of carrying disease from older animals to the most vulnerable. It also calls for clean, fresh water at all times and dry, warm housing with deep bedding. A clean teat, bucket and pen are not cosmetic details: they are part of the calf’s disease barrier.
Make hygiene and water checks routine
Walk calf accommodation for wet bedding, accumulated manure and equipment that is shared without cleaning. Keep the work sequence from youngest to oldest, and avoid carrying soiled footwear or tools from sick animals into healthy groups. The knowledge base stresses that biosecurity is not one measure: herd resistance, reduced exposure to pathogens, and control of cattle, livestock, equipment and people entering the dairy all need attention together.
Check troughs for visible contamination and confirm that water is available and appealing. The house reference notes that algae blooms can occur in warm, sunlit, nutrient-rich, slow-moving trough water and may cause diarrhoea and weakness; it advises starting with water analysis to establish whether a problem exists before choosing treatment. If intake or quality is in doubt, investigate the source and test rather than treating blindly.
Use vaccination as a local plan, not a borrowed calendar
Vaccines can support resistance, but the correct programme depends on farm risks, timing and product instructions. Ask your veterinarian to review the herd’s vaccination records, the next due dates and whether any pre-calving vaccination is appropriate to the diseases being targeted. Farmers’ Weekly’s October calf-management report specifically recommends discussing suitable programmes with a veterinarian; when appropriate vaccines are available, pre-calving vaccination can increase targeted antibodies in colostrum.
International headlines are not South African instructions. Ireland’s ICMSA reported 48 confirmed cases of bluetongue virus serotype 3 and estimated vaccination coverage at about half of mature breeding stock. That is not evidence of BTV-3 in South Africa. The relevant lesson is to plan vaccination with a local veterinarian around farm disease risks, breeding dates and vaccine logistics, rather than importing an overseas schedule.
Keep tick control and FMD response grounded in local advice
In KwaZulu-Natal, the provincial Veterinary Services distributed dipping chemicals to 126 diptanks in the AbaQulusi area outside Vryheid. African Farming reported that the routine programme supports control of ticks that transmit redwater, gallsickness and heartwater. The advised summer intervals in that report are every 14 days inland and every seven days in coastal districts, but farmers should confirm the applicable schedule, product instructions, dilution and safe handling with veterinary staff. KZN’s distribution is part of routine provision to 2,238 diptank facilities across the province; if your operation depends on communal or local facilities, check supply and timing rather than assuming they are available.
The immediate FMD alert is specific: Farmer’s Weekly reported confirmation in two kudu at Addo Elephant National Park, with an estimated 5% to 10% of kudu showing lameness. Red hartebeest and eland were also showing clinical signs, but infection in those species was not confirmed. SANParks said susceptible cloven-hoofed animals may not enter or leave the park without veterinary authorisation following risk assessment. Neighbouring dairy farms should coordinate with state veterinary services, follow movement restrictions and risk assessments, and maintain strict biosecurity. Do not infer local vaccine coverage from regional totals: the report did not independently confirm coverage immediately around Addo or required follow-up doses.
Turn prevention into a farm habit
Choose one person to check the calf area, water points, visitor and vehicle access, vaccination records and tick-control arrangements this week; record what needs fixing and who will do it. Review the routine with the veterinarian and staff, then repeat it. Strong herd health is not a single vaccine, dip or cleaning day: it comes from reliable resistance, reduced exposure and controlled entry, applied together.
Key points
- Walk calf areas, water points and entry routes this week; correct hygiene and access gaps.
- Feed good-quality colostrum promptly, assess each newborn and keep calf care consistent.
- Plan vaccinations with a veterinarian around South African farm risks and breeding dates, not overseas schedules.
- Confirm local tick-dipping intervals, supplies and product instructions with veterinary staff.
- For farms near Addo, coordinate with state Veterinary Services and follow FMD movement restrictions and risk assessments.