Livestock farmers across South Africa are facing one of the toughest challenges in recent history due to the outbreak of Foot-and-Mouth Disease (FMD), widely regarded as a major agricultural crisis. Industry leaders are calling it the worst livestock disaster the country has ever experienced, with wide-reaching effects on farmers, rural areas and the agricultural sector as a whole.
The outbreak, which began in April 2025 in KwaZulu-Natal, has spread to several provinces, including North West, Free State, Mpumalanga, and Gauteng. Concerns over trade restrictions, rising costs, and economic losses continue, even as vaccination and control measures are underway.
FMD is a highly contagious disease among cloven-hoofed animals, and the virus can spread quickly through both direct contact between livestock and indirectly through contaminated surfaces. Unfortunately, animals can also carry the virus before showing symptoms, making early detection difficult.
“This is an incredibly challenging time for many of our farmers, and with the FMD virus able to survive on surfaces such as vehicles, boots, fences and feeding equipment, daily routines have had to be reshaped, making biosecurity a critical line of defence and one that requires constant effort,” says Timothy Isabirye, Marketing Manager at Husqvarna South Africa.
This means that routine cleaning and disinfecting have become part of daily farm management for many producers, as it is widely recognised as a key component of outbreak control measures. And this is where motorised agricultural sprayers can help ease the burden, assisting farmers to apply disinfectants more quickly, efficiently, and with less effort across large, high-risk areas.
Vehicles are a well-recognised way that livestock diseases can spread, especially when wheels, undercarriages and footwells are not disinfected consistently. As a result, entry and exit points form an integral part of farm biosecurity routines, with footbaths and wheel dips now a familiar sight at many farm gates. In these areas, disinfectant solutions can be applied using sprayers, which allows for more even coverage and helps ensure high-traffic surfaces are thoroughly treated.
Animal housing and handling areas are another key focus. Pens, barns and feeding spaces are generally cleaned and treated between groups of animals, helping to reduce the chance of the virus lingering in the environment. Sprayers can be used to apply disinfectant evenly across these surfaces, effectively covering larger areas and maintaining consistent biosecurity practices.
Movable equipment – including tools, fencing materials and feed containers – also requires regular disinfecting to help reduce the risk of the virus spreading between different areas of the farm. Larger vehicles and farm machinery, such as tractors or feed wagons, must be carefully cleaned, particularly when moving between paddocks, pens or animal camps. Sprayers can be used to apply disinfectant solutions across all of these surfaces, helping to ensure thorough coverage to support biosecurity efforts.
According to South African biosecurity guidance notes, disinfectants approved for FMD control are commonly applied using sprayers as part of a broader biosecurity programme, helping farmers strengthen their defences against FMD while complementing vaccination and other control measures already in place.
“Any and every measure that can aid stock farmers to protect their herds and livelihoods matters,” says Isabirye. “Husqvarna’s range of powerful motorised sprayers, designed for agricultural spraying, is one way that can help make daily biosecurity routines more manageable, providing farmers with practical support in the fight against this unprecedented crisis,” he concludes.
If you need assistance or information regarding Husqvarna’s range of sprayers, please visit your nearest dealership or go to www.husqvarna.co.za.