First live animal auction in Zululand since FMD outbreak
There’s fresh hope for beef farmers in the Zululand region as the government eases long-standing foot-and-mouth disease restrictions.
The first live animal auction has taken place in Dlebe near Ulundi since the 2021 outbreak.
One hundred and sixty cattle were sold at Sunday's auction.
KZN Department of Agriculture has hailed it as a turning point in the fight against foot-and-mouth and the recovery of the province’s livestock sector.
MEC Thembeni kaMadlopha-Mthethwa opened the event, calling it a milestone for local farmers.
The outbreak has crippled both small-scale and commercial farmers who were bound by movement bans and strict controls.
The department says, despite limited infrastructure and ongoing outbreaks, farmers have boosted biosecurity.
It says over the last three years, more than 600,000 cattle have been vaccinated in the province, with a third in Zululand.
Veterinary teams have also quarantined hot spots and intensified disease monitoring as the government rolls out vaccines in other provinces.
Farmers are urged to stick to the rules, with a second vaccine batch expected from the Botswana Vaccine Institute.
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