Tlokoeng— Farmers in Phirintsu village are worried as blue tongue disease spreads among sheep, raising fears of a possible foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) outbreak. No FMD cases have been reported, but the delay in vaccine delivery has increased anxiety among livestock owners.
FMD is known to spread quickly and can cause serious losses, especially for small-scale farmers who depend on their animals for food and income
Ward 14 councillor Akhona Sphambo said the FMD vaccine is on its way. He explained that vaccination has already started in hard-hit provinces such as KwaZulu-Natal and the Free State, and will eventually reach Phirintsu.
Sivuyile Nqeto, technical advisor at Kyron Agri and deputy chairperson of the Eastern Cape Farmers Group, warned that areas such as Bizana, Idutywa and Qoboqobo are already facing serious economic strain due to livestock diseases. He stressed that timely vaccination is critical to protect small-scale farmers.
Meanwhile, local sheep farmer Wongalakhe Funda (40) said he lost three sheep to blue tongue disease this week. “I don’t understand how this happened because I dosed with other villagers last September,” he said. He is now left with 34 sheep.
Farmers are being advised to watch their animals closely and follow safety measures to prevent the spread of disease while waiting for the vaccine.
