Bek-en-klouseer is weer in die nuus, met bevestigde gevalle sedert die einde van Mei 2025, en nuwe gevalle wat selfs in die Vrystaat gerapporteer is. KwaZulu-Natal is steeds die gebied wat die meeste onder die BKS virus lei, maar die situasie ontwikkel daagliks, en ander gebiede soos die Oos-Kaap en dele van Mpumalanga bly op die radar.
Wat vir ons belangrik is by Leeuwbult Bonsmaras, is om ingelig te bly sonder om paniek te saai. Hierdie is tye wat gefokusde bestuur en samewerking met betroubare netwerke vereis, eerder as oorreaksie.
Wat gebeur tans?
Verskeie belangrike rolspelers, insluitend die RMIS (Red Meat Industry Services) en Departement van Landbou, werk nou saam om die verspreiding van BKS landwyd te monitor. Volgens Dewald Olivier, uitvoerende hoof van die RMIS, is toegang tot tydige inligting oor uitbrekings krities. Die organisasie stel nou 'n operasionele sentrum op waar nuus oor uitbrekings onmiddellik op 'n digitale platform gelaai word.
Boere word aangemoedig om hulself te vergewis met hierdie platforms, sodat hulle vinniger en op meer doelgerigte wyse kan reageer. Klik gerus op hierdie skakel na die RMIS se amptelike webtuiste waar mens na ‘n interaktiewe kaart kan kyk wat areas van bek-en-klouseer uitbrekings aandui:
Olivier het ook bevestig dat pogings aan die gang is om met instellings soos die Land Bank 'n ondersteuningsfonds en moontlike versekeringsprodukte op die been te bring vir telers wat finansieel geraak word wanneer plaasaktiwiteite tydelik stilstaan.
Terselfdertyd het daar op 21 en 22 Julie ’n hoëvlak-beraad in Pretoria plaasgevind, aangebied deur die LNR en Onderstepoort, waar kenners uit verskeie oorde vergader het om ’n gekoördineerde strategie vir BKS-beheer te ontwikkel. Dit het gesprekke oor entstofvoorsiening, biosekuriteit, finansiële ondersteuning en genetiese integriteit ingesluit.
Daar het goeie gesprekke plaasgevind rondom die bek-en-klouseer-krisis by hierdie beraad. John Steenhuisen, Minister van Landbou, het erken dat die huidige stelsel wat in plek is om bek-en-klouseer te bestuur en te voorkom, heeltemal oneffektief is. Sy voorstel was dat die land oorskakel na ’n streeksgebaseerde raamwerk, sodat provinsiale uitbrake nie langer tot ’n verbod op uitvoere vir die hele land lei nie. Hy het ook gesê dat daar weer in navorsing en plaaslike infrastruktuur belê moet word.
Hoe bestuur ons dit in praktyk?
Die kern van bek-en-klouseerbeheer is nie ingewikkeld nie, maar dit vereis konsekwentheid. As telers moet ons seker maak dat elke aspek van ons kudde-bestuur gegrond is in biosekuriteit en oordeelkundige besluitneming.
1. Beheer beweging van diere
Geen nuwe dier moet sonder 'n kwarantynperiode van minstens 28 dae by die hoofkudde gevoeg word nie. Hierdie praktyk help om enige potensiaal vir verspreiding vroeg te isoleer.
2. Sorg vir behoorlike ontsmetting
Alle voertuie, toerusting en persone wat tussen plase beweeg, moet skoongemaak en ontsmet word met doeltreffende middels soos natriumhipokloriet of sitroensuuroplossings. Hierdie eenvoudige stappe maak 'n groot verskil in die voorkoming van oordrag.
3. Neem veilings ernstig op
Veilings is 'n belangrike deel van ons bedryf, maar ons moet sorg dat slegs diere van bekende, skoon herkoms daarheen gaan en dat die nodige voorsorgmaatreëls in plek is. Diere wat teruggebring word plaas toe, moet behandel word as nuwe aankomelinge en onder kwarantyn gehou word voordat hulle by die kudde gevoeg word.
Voorbeelde van voorsorgmaatreëls wat veilings beveilig sluit in:
- Ontsmetting van voertuie, hokke en toerusting by die veilingterrein.
- Aparte hantering van diere uit verskillende herkomste om kontak te beperk.
- Verpligte gesondheidsverklarings en oorsprongsertifikate vir alle diere wat aangebied word.
4. Let op simptome en bly ingelig
Ons bly op hoogte van die nuutste inligting vanaf betroubare bronne soos die Departement van Landbou, nasionale veeartsenykundige instellings, en bedryfsverenigings. Tipiese simptome van bek-en-klouseer sluit in speekselvloei, blase op die bek en tussen die kloue, en mankheid. Enige vermoede van infeksie moet onmiddellik aan die plaaslike veearts gerapporteer word.
Die volgende video toon voorbeelde van tipiese bek-en-klouseersimptome. Dis verfilm in Asië, maar geld ook vir ons Suid-Afrikaanse kuddes:
5. Werk saam met veeartse
Die bek-en-klouseer situasie verander voortdurend, en dit beklemtoon hoe belangrik dit is om ’n sterk verhouding met jou plaaslike veearts te hê. Veeartse is jou eerste linie van ondersteuning wanneer dit kom by diagnose, biosekuriteitsadvies en die implementering van protokolle wat jou kudde beskerm.
Hulle kan jou help om:
- Vroeë tekens van infeksie betyds raak te sien en korrek te bevestig.
- ’n Doeltreffende kwarantynstelsel op jou plaas in plek te kry.
- ’n Aangepaste bestuursplan te ontwikkel wat jou risiko tot die minimum beperk.
Op die ou end: Volhoubare bestuur gee gemoedsrus
Bek-en-klouseer is nie nuut nie, en dit hoef nie ons produksievermoë tot stilstand te ruk nie. As ons kalm bly, strukture toepas en saamwerk met ons netwerk van telers, veeartse en diensverskaffers, is dit heeltemal moontlik om nie net aan te hou boer nie, maar om aan te hou verbeter.
Hierdie tyd van die jaar vra van ons ekstra waaksaamheid. Deur gefokus en georganiseerd te bly, kan ons ons kuddes beskerm sonder om onnodige spanning in die stelsel in te bring. Ons boer slim, ons boer saam, en ons bly op die voorpunt van goeie praktyk.
Die vraag wat elke verbruiker vra: Is dit veilig om vleis te eet gedurende hierdie tye?
Bek-en-klouseer is nie 'n soönotiese siekte nie, wat beteken dit kan nie van dier na mens oorgedra word nie. Die virus hou dus nie gesondheidsrisiko’s in vir mense nie.
Volgens die Vleisveiligheidswet moet die pH van alle vleis en karkasse onder 6 wees. Dis 'n standaard Vleisveiligheidswet-vereiste. As die pH van die vleis onder 6 is, is dit 'n indikasie dat die bek-en-klouseer-virus nie lewendig is nie.
Die hand-voet-en-mondsiekte wat dikwels by kinders onder 10 jaar voorkom, hou geen verband met die bek-en-klouseer-siekte wat by vee aangetref word nie, en die twee siektes moenie met mekaar verwar word nie.
Ten slotte: Die beesvleis wat op tans op winkelrakke beskikbaar is, is veilig vir verbruik.
Foot-and-mouth disease is back in the news, with confirmed cases since the end of May 2025, and new cases have been reported, even in the Free State. KwaZulu-Natal remains the area most affected by the FMD virus, but the situation is evolving daily, and other areas such as the Eastern Cape and parts of Mpumalanga remain on the radar.
What is important to us at Leeuwbult Bonsmaras is to stay informed without causing panic. These are times that require focused management and collaboration with trusted networks, rather than overreaction.
What is happening now?
Several key role players, including the RMIS (Red Meat Industry Services) and the Department of Agriculture, are working closely together to monitor the spread of FMD nationwide. According to Dewald Olivier, CEO of the RMIS, access to timely information on outbreaks is critical. The organisation is now setting up an operations centre where news of outbreaks is immediately uploaded onto a digital platform. The urgency of the situation cannot be overstated.
Farmers are encouraged to familiarise themselves with these platforms, so that they can respond more quickly and in a more targeted manner. We urge you to click on this link to the RMIS official website, where you can view an interactive map indicating areas of foot-and-mouth disease outbreaks and start using the platform to monitor and respond to outbreaks in your area:
Olivier also confirmed that efforts are underway with institutions such as the Land Bank to establish a support fund and explore possible insurance products for breeders who are financially affected when farm activities are temporarily halted.
At the same time, a high-level summit was held in Pretoria on 21 and 22 July, hosted by the ARC and Onderstepoort, where experts from various locations met to develop a coordinated strategy for BMS control. This included discussions on vaccine supply, biosecurity, financial support and genetic integrity.
Good discussions took place around the foot-and-mouth crisis at this summit. John Steenhuisen, Minister of Agriculture, acknowledged that the current system in place to manage and prevent foot-and-mouth disease is entirely ineffective. His suggestion was that the country adopt a regional framework, so that provincial outbreaks no longer result in a nationwide ban on exports. He also said that there needs to be a return to investment in research and local infrastructure.
How do we manage this in practice?
The essence of FMD control is not complicated, but it requires consistency. As breeders, we must ensure that every aspect of our herd management is based on biosecurity and informed decision-making.
1. Control animal movement
No new animal should be added to the main herd without a quarantine period of at least 28 days. This practice helps to isolate any potential for spread early.
2. Ensure proper disinfection
All vehicles, equipment and people moving between farms should be cleaned and disinfected with effective agents such as sodium hypochlorite or citric acid solutions. These simple steps make a big difference in preventing transmission.
3. Take auctions seriously
Auctions are an integral part of our industry. Still, we must ensure that only animals of known, clean origin are auctioned and that the necessary precautions are in place. Animals brought back to the farm must be treated as new arrivals and kept under quarantine before being added to the herd.
Examples of precautions that keep auctions safe include:
- Disinfection of vehicles, cages and equipment at the auction site.
- Separate handling of animals from different origins to limit contact.
- Mandatory health declarations and certificates of origin for all animals offered.
4. Watch for symptoms and stay informed
We stay up to date with the latest information from reliable sources, including the Department of Agriculture, national veterinary institutions, and industry associations. Typical symptoms of foot-and-mouth disease include salivation, blisters on the mouth and between the hooves, and lameness. Any suspicion of infection should be reported immediately to the local veterinarian.
The following video illustrates typical symptoms of foot-and-mouth disease. It was filmed in Asia, but also applies to our South African herds:
5. Work with veterinarians
The FMD situation is constantly evolving, underscoring the importance of maintaining a strong relationship with your local veterinarian. Veterinarians are your first line of support when it comes to diagnosis, biosecurity advice and implementing protocols that protect your herd.
They can help you:
- Recognise and accurately confirm the early signs of infection.
- Implement an effective quarantine system on your farm.
- Develop a tailored management plan that minimises your risk.
- In the end, Sustainable management gives peace of mind.
FMD is not new, and it does not have to bring our production capacity to a standstill. If we remain calm, apply structures, and collaborate with our network of breeders, veterinarians, and service providers, it is entirely possible not only to maintain farming but also to continually improve it.
This time of year calls for extra vigilance from us. By staying focused and organised, we can effectively protect our herds without placing unnecessary strain on the system. We farm smart, we farm together, and we stay at the forefront of good practice.
The question every consumer is asking: Is it safe to eat meat during these times?
Foot-and-mouth disease is not a zoonotic disease, meaning it cannot be transmitted from animals to humans. The virus, therefore, does not pose a health risk to humans.
According to the Meat Safety Act, the pH of all meat and carcasses must be below 6. This is a standard requirement under the Meat Safety Act. If the pH of the meat is below 6, it indicates that the foot-and-mouth virus is not alive.
Hand, foot, and mouth disease, which often occurs in children under 10 years of age, is not related to the foot and mouth disease found in livestock. The two diseases should not be confused with each other.
In conclusion, the beef currently available on store shelves is safe for consumption.
Bek-en-klouseer inligting wat werklik help