| (1) |
There are certain activities that are an integral part of livestock farming, but which pose a high risk with regard to the spread of animal diseases and parasites. These are mainly activities that involve the gathering of animals from different origins onto one premises, with subsequent distribution of these animals to different destinations. Examples of these types of “gathering” activities include auctions, livestock speculation, livestock shows, and livestock conveyances used to transport different groups of animals consecutively. These gatherings, by their nature, are not able to adhere to the 28 day mandatory post-movement isolation as per subparagraph 3.(2) above. The biosecurity rules in this directive are intended to reduce the risk of disease transmission during these high risk animal gathering activities. Such activities are hereby exempt from adherence to subparagraph 3.(2) above, subject to adherence to all of the conditions below and the retention of auditable written records of such adherence for a minimum of 5 years. |
| (2) |
The following legislation is also of specific relevance to this Directive: |
| i. |
Animal Diseases Act, 1984 (Act No 35 of 1984) as amended and Regulations under the Act, with specific emphasis on the following: |
| a. |
Section 11 Animal Diseases Act, 1984 (Act No 35 of 1984) |
| b. |
Regulation 12 of the Animal Disease Regulations R2026 of 1986 |
| ii. |
The Animal Identification Act 2002 (Act no 6 of 2002) (“AIDA”) |
| iii. |
The Stock Theft Act 1959 (Act no 57 of 1959) |
| iv. |
Agricultural Produce Agents Council Biosecurity Rules for Livestock Agents contained in Board Notice 135 of 2020, Government Gazette Notice No 4390 of 13 November 2020 (“APAC Rules”). This Directive does not replace or change the APAC rules in any way. Compliance to APAC rules remain in force and the following instructions are in addition to APAC rules. |
| (3). |
REQUIREMENTS FOR ALL GATHERINGS OF ANIMALS. |
The following instructions pertain to all gatherings of animals, including but not limited to auctions, speculators and livestock shows.
| i. |
Biosecurity at farm of origin |
The following stipulations must be specified on the declaration by the responsible person at the land of origin as per subparagraph 3.(1) above.
| (a) |
There must be no history of recent increase of mortalities or a recent controlled animal disease outbreak on the land of origin, there must be no current suspicion of a controlled animal disease on the land of origin, and the land of origin may not be under quarantine or under any veterinary restrictions pertaining to the movement of livestock. |
| (b) |
No suspicious signs of FMD, including but not limited to salivation, blisters in the mouth, limping or hoof lesions, mastitis must have been observed on the land of origin within the last 28 days. |
| (c) |
No animals may have been introduced onto the land of origin within the 28 days preceding the movement of livestock to a gathering. |
| (d) |
All the livestock to be moved to a gathering must be inspected not more than three days prior to movement to the gathering by the responsible person or a veterinarian for any clinical signs of disease. If the absence of clinical signs is confirmed, an owner health declaration or veterinary health attestation must be issued in compliance with all conditions and prescriptions for such declarations as determined by the Director Animal Health on the date of inspection. The health declaration must be sent to the place of gathering at least 48 hours prior to loading the animals at origin. |
| (e) |
All animals at the land of origin must be identified in compliance with AIDA by means of a registered brand mark or tattoo, and, in addition, all animals to be moved must be identified individually by means of ear tags. |
| (f) |
The responsible person at the land of origin must ensure that the animals are only loaded onto animal conveyances that have been cleaned and disinfected. |
| ii. |
Biosecurity at the gathering point |
| (a) |
There must be clear separation between the arrival area (“dirty”) and the biosecure area (“clean”) at the gathering place. These areas must be physically separated to ensure an effective physical barrier between the areas, and must also be separated by management to ensure that there is no cross-movement of people, vehicles, equipment or any other potential fomite between these two areas. |
| (b) |
A biosecurity officer must be appointed by the person responsible for the gathering place. The biosecurity officer must be registered with the South African Veterinary Council (SAVC) and must ensure that: |
| (1) |
Animals are only off-loaded at the arrival area. |
| (2) |
Animals are inspected by the biosecurity officer for signs of disease in the arrival area. |
| (3) |
All animals are individually identified and recorded in a way that can confirm the origin of the animals and that can be correlated with the information in the declaration by the responsible person at the land of origin. |
| (c) |
The person responsible for the gathering place must confirm the required documentation, as outlined in subparagraph 4.(4) hereunder, is present and correct. |
| (d) |
If the animals have been properly identified, the required documentation accompanied the consignment, and if the animals were clinically inspected (including mouthing and taking of temperature) and found to be healthy, then the biosecurity officer can give permission for the animals to move from the arrival area to the biosecure area. |
| (e) |
Animals may only move from the biosecure area directly onto cleaned and disinfected conveyances for onward transport to their final destination. The conveyances must have been cleaned and disinfected under supervision of the biosecurity officer. |
| (f) |
The biosecurity officer is responsible for issuing a declaration as per subparagraph 3.(1) above, for any onward movement of animals to final destination, which must be attached to the declaration by the responsible person at the land of origin that the animals arrived with. |
| (4). |
REQUIREMENTS FOR TRACEABILITY AND RECORD KEEPING |
| i. |
Prior to off-loading animals at the gathering point, the owner of the facility must confirm the following information is available in writing and retained for a period of at least five years: |
| (a) |
Identification of animals in terms of AIDA, copies of the owner’s AIDA certificate and ID, and proof of origin with GPS coordinates; |
| (b) |
Origin of animals (farm name, district and province, seller’s name and contact details) |
| (c) |
Declaration by the responsible person at the land of origin as per subparagraph 3.(1) above |
| (e) |
All documentation required as per the Stock Theft Act 1959 (Act no 57 of 1959) |
| (f) |
Details of animal conveyance (registration number, model and make, name of driver and company) |
| ii. |
Before animals are allowed to leave the premises of the gathering place, the person responsible for the gathering place must confirm the following information is available in writing and retained for a period of at least five years: |
| (a) |
Identification of the animals in terms of AIDA from the land of origin |
| (b) |
Land of destination of animals (farm, premises or commonage name, district and province, buyer’s name and contact details) or details of origin if returned to the seller. Copies of buyers’ AIDA certificate, physical address and ID must be kept. (Note: abattoirs do not have AIDA certificates, but if animals are going to feedlots before going to the abattoir, they must have the AIDA certificate of the feedlot.) |
| (c) |
All documentation required as per the Stock Theft Act 1959 (Act no 57 of 1959) |
| (d) |
Details of animal conveyance (registration number, model and make, name of driver and company) |
| (e) |
Written commitment by the recipient of animals from the gathering place to keep the animals separated from the resident animals at destination for at least 28 days and to confirm the absence of clinical signs of disease during this period as per subparagraph 3.(2) above. |
| iii. |
The person responsible for the gathering place must keep clear and auditable records of all animals that entered and left the facility on a daily basis and these records must be made available to the State Veterinary Authority upon request. |
| (5) |
RULES FOR ANIMAL CONVEYANCES |
| i. |
The owner of the animal conveyances must ensure that only animals for which declaration by the responsible person at the land of origin as per subparagraph 3.(1) above have been issued are loaded onto the conveyance. In the case of an animal gathering, the biosecurity officer is responsible for issuing the declaration for any onward movement to which the declaration by the responsible person at the land of origin, that the animals arrived with, must be attached. |
| ii. |
All vehicles used to transport animals must be cleaned and disinfected after off-loading and prior to loading of animals, and again after off-loading of animals at destination. Cleaning means proper washing of the loading space to remove dirt, faecal material, urine, blood or any other body fluids. Thorough cleaning is mandatory prior to disinfection irrespective of the disinfectant used. After cleaning, the loading space must be disinfected with a product that is registered as effective against FMD virus (as per table below). |
| iii. |
If animals from different premises of origin are mixed on the same transport vehicle en route from the land of origin to the gathering place, then the group will assume the same health status. |
| iv. |
All conveyances that regularly transport livestock between farms, to and from gatherings of animals, from farm to abattoir or feedlots, between feedlots, etc, must be registered. |
| v. |
The following table represents ingredients cited in international standards as effective against FMDV. Please note that only commercial products registered as effective against FMD virus may be used for disinfection of conveyances used for the purpose of transporting cloven hoofed animals to and from gatherings. Such registered products also have to be used strictly in adherence to the manufacturer’s instructions as per the registered package insert: |
|
Active ingredient
|
Concentration for
FMDV (%)
|
Contact time (minutes)
|
|
Sodium hydroxide (caustic soda)
|
2
|
10
|
|
Sodium carbonate (soda ash)
|
4
|
10
|
|
Citric acid
|
3
|
Porous surfaces: 30 min.
Non-porous surfaces:
15 min.
|
|
Acetic acid (vinegar)
|
2
|
10
|
|
Sodium hypochlorite (NaCIO - bleach)
|
0.3
|
Porous surfaces: 30 min.
Non-porous surfaces:
15 min.
|
|
Sodium chloride/ Potassium peroxymonosulphate/
|
1
|
10
|
FMDV is resistant to the following disinfectants, especially in the presence of organic matter:
| • |
Iodophores (povidone-iodine) |
| • |
Quaternary Ammonium Compounds (QACs) (chlorhexidine, dishwashing liquids, hand soaps) |
| • |
Phenols (carbolic acids) |
Debt Collectors Act, 1998
