Foot-and-Mouth Disease: A Global Race Between Prevention and Recovery

Foot-and-mouth disease has become the defining test of livestock governance worldwide, forcing governments to choose between aggressive vaccination campaigns and catastrophic trade losses. South Africa’s outbreak infected 297,000 cattle and triggered export bans worth billions, while Greece has culled over 80,000 animals and handed military control of the response to its Defence Ministry. Countries from Egypt to Venezuela are now betting that early registration and mass vaccination can prevent the economic devastation already reshaping meat markets across continents.

Egypt’s governorates are deploying mobile vaccination teams to farms and villages, with Gharbia targeting 331,648 animals and Minya already vaccinating nearly 42,000. The campaign, launched in late August by Agriculture Minister Alaa Farouk, combines broad inoculation against FMD and Rift Valley fever with animal registration and market disinfection—a three-track approach designed to prevent the spread that has ravaged other regions.

South Africa’s trajectory shows the cost of delay. The outbreak that began in late 2025 infected over 297,000 cattle, forced culls exceeding 120,000 head, and blocked beef exports to China and Zambia; meat inflation hit 13.5%. Yet vaccination has reversed the trend: Gauteng’s new cases fell 96% from January to August, and North West reported its first case-free week since December. Agriculture Minister Willie Aucamp confirmed 23 million vaccine doses imported and all commercial dairies inoculated, though allegations of pricing abuse at state supplier OBP underscore fragile confidence.

Greece’s Lesvos island has adopted the starkest response. After confirming the first domestic case since 2000 in March, the government culled over 80,000 sheep and goats—roughly 5% of Greece’s feta supply—and transferred military command of transport, disinfection and burial operations on 3 September, signaling the outbreak has overwhelmed civilian agencies.

Venezuela is taking a different path: its four-month livestock census of 2,000+ properties across Monagas state combines herd registration with vaccination, aiming for FMD-free certification and restored trade with Brazil, Colombia, Uruguay and Argentina. Governor Ernesto Luna launched the initiative on 25 August, tying inventory control to export competitiveness.

These divergent strategies reflect a global pattern: vaccination works when implemented early and systemically; delays force culls, trade loss, and military-scale interventions. The disease has become a test of state capacity.