Dairy farmer’s fury at state’s handling of foot-and-mouth outbreak

“Farmers are fighting to save their animals. Your department is still fighting paperwork.” Those are the words of Eastern Cape dairy farmer Edgar Brotherton, whose open letter to agriculture minister John Steenhuisen lays bare the devastating toll offoot-and-mouth disease (FMD)on his farming operation — and his frustration at what he describes asa slow and inadequate government response. Brotherton, a prominent commercial dairy farmer with operations in Khowa (formerly Elliot) and Komani, says delays in sourcing and distributing vaccines have cost him millions of rand, wiped out generations of breeding stock, and forced the dumping of vast quantities of milk.

He said he first wrote to the minister at the end of January, urgently requesting vaccines for his dairy herd in Khowa after neighbouring cattle became infected. Theoutbreaktore through his 1,800-strong milking herd, leaving a trail of losses. Mastitis, a secondary infection linked to FMD, causes inflammation of the udder and in severe cases can lead to rupturing.

Agri Eastern Cape president Peter Cloete said milk production had been impacted by the disease and secondary infections such as mastitis. He said exports had been affected hugely because several countries had banned exports from SA. Brotherton said his veterinary bill for February alone reached R1.5m, with a further R800,000 expected in March.