The goal is to vaccinate 80% of South Africa's national cattle herd, which is estimated at 14 million, to create a version of 'herd immunity'.
South Africa's foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) drive is kicking into a new gear with 13.5 million doses procured since the end of February and 4 million more expected this month.
This update was provided on Monday by Agriculture Minister John Steenhuisen, who has faced a stampede of criticism over the government's response to a crisis that has trampled South Africa's livestock sector, which also faces the spectre of a looming El Niño.
Read more History suggests a 'Godzilla' El Niño could be on our doorstep May 31, 2026 "As of the 28th May, we have vaccinated just under 4.4 million animals across the country. This is the largest vaccine acquisition programme ever undertaken by the South African state," said Steenhuisen.
"The vaccination programme is now being implemented at a scale never before seen in South Africa."
The extent of the crisis has called for a rethink of government policy -- never an easy task in South Africa -- from a reactive system to a proactive, preventative biosecurity model against the backdrop of withered capacity at SOEs such as Onderstepoort Biological Products.
The goal is to vaccinate 80% of South Africa's national cattle herd, which numbers around...
