Ulf Tubessing, [24 Jan 2024 at 21:13:30]: Good evening everybody. I would like opinions and espresso experiences concerning bovine malignant fever (MCF/snotsiekte) and wildebeest (BWB). The Namibian DVs in its infinite wisdom passed a regulation forcing all farmers with wildebeest to have compulsory double fences 10 m apart separating wildebeest from neighbours (even other game farms and game reserves). Of course, sheep are of zero concern! Namibia has a pretty low incidence of MCF (low humidity, low stocking density?) and epidemiology reports from DVS typically read Sept 2023, 5 cases one mortality ... no reference to confirmation of diagnosis, differentiation between strains etc. My questions: 1) any statistics on wildebeest: sheep origin infections in SA? 2) any stats/reports of MCF infections on farms more than 10 m away from wildebeest ? 3) any hope that OBP will produce vaccine before 2100? 4) any other pearls of wisdom? Have a great evening! Ulf Danie Odendaal, [24 Jan 2024 at 21:32:21]: I personally have never seen a case of sheep origin but seen hundreds in close association (neighbouring farms) with wildebeest Wildebeest is a curse in any beef cattle producing area. Many farm owners that don't farm actively (business owners that buy farms for recreation or hunting), like to get wildebeest with very little regard for the cattle farmers around them. The only manageable solution is the vaccine (which was tested as being effective), but as you said the chances that OBP can upscale production is minimal. Ulf Tubessing, [24 Jan 2024 at 21:35:38]: What is your opinion on 10 m fence being effective (other than discouraging farmers to keep wildebeest), especially keeping cost benefit ratio in mind! Erik Verrynne, [24 Jan 2024 at 21:53:22]: Hi Ulf. I had a sheep-related case in the middle of Kuruman in the early nineties. I think Willem Burger reported the sheep strain in giraffe and other wildlife in the western Cape if I remember correctly. There is evidence of two MCF cycles in BWB. One is caused by direct contact related to stress, and another involving a vector. Your 10m fence will combat the one but not the other. Pierre Nel, [25 Jan 2024 at 08:45:29]: Erik, with direct contact, what do you mean? They never make direct contact, even in the same camp. Indirect at water points and pasture contamination of secretions yes. Personally I think 10 m is a total waste with no scientific backup. Many wildebeest cases have much larger distances and old Dr Erasmus from OVI mentioned 7 km 🤷♂️ Gary Bauer, [25 Jan 2024 at 09:01:24]: Ulf, get in touch with Prof Moritz van Vuuren about wildebeest. In my opinion, a 10m corridor is not worth anything really Henry Labuschagne, [25 Jan 2024 at 09:02:01]: I have confirmed cases where animals were 3km from wildebeest. I agree that 10m is a waste. I get good results with injecting cattle close to wildebeest with Ivomec during calving season and other periods of stress in wildebeest .(eg capture ). I also advise weekend farmers that insist on keeping wildebeest as a novelty or for hunting to only keep bulls and not breed with wildebeest to keep the cattle farmers around happy. Jacques ODell, [25 Jan 2024 at 09:20:30]: Maybe they meant 10km… that would make sense Henry Labuschagne, [25 Jan 2024 at 09:24:16]: Many years ago the rule was 10m. This was to prevent nose to nose contact. I strongly believe that moths that feed on tears during the night and can be blown many km by wind, play an understated role in transmission of BMC Roy Bengis, [25 Jan 2024 at 09:24:49]: 10 meters exclusion zone is a waste of time and resources. I know of several cases in the 1990's where the disease occurred in cattle separated by 600m to 1 Km from wildebeest. We always thought that face fly movement may have been a vector but this was never proven. Jacques ODell, [25 Jan 2024 at 09:27:51]: Henry, an extremely labile virus like MCFV that somehow spreads over vast distances - there must be a vector involved. Flies, moths, rabbits, heck, even fairies must be considered until proven otherwise. Roy Bengis, [25 Jan 2024 at 09:28:37]: Agreed, any insect utilising moisture from mucous membranes could conceivably act as a vector. Jacques ODell, [25 Jan 2024 at 09:34:45]: Trying to control a disease using outdated methods (separation by fencing) will not work. One must find a way to farm cattle with wildebeest. Obviously when you have a dairy or feedlot, this does not apply, and one needs to keep away from wildebeest. The vaccine will hopefully, somewhere in the 2100s bring relief to cattle farmers. Ulf Tubessing, [25 Jan 2024 at 09:43:08]: Thanks guys! I believe this is quite an important discussion since archaic and financially unfeasible "control measures" do not solve the problem but may stop people looking for feasible alternatives like proper coordination of rotational gazing, do bush clearing away from border fences to draw wildebeest away from a neighbour, similar approach with water holes etc. This regulation literally halved the market value of wildebeest and those farmers who do decide to keep wildebeest put them into small camps in a corner of the farm (to keep rest of farm as open ecologic space for hunting). I believe this will increase stress and contact (> 10 m) with neighbouring cattle rather than reduce the incidence. Andreas Gaugler, [25 Jan 2024 at 10:08:04]: Ulf, lots of game farmers have BWB and cattle and very often the cattle are actually put in the game camp for grazing. I hear very little of MCF in these cattle although I always warn farmers that it may occur Now I wonder if the giraffe with the lung lesions may have had MCF? Any thoughts and can it be tested in Namibia? Ulf Tubessing, [25 Jan 2024 at 10:10:55]: There are reports of giraffe with MCF (also buffalo, deer etc) but not sure if diagnosed in southern Africa. As far as I can find out, we have very little MCF in Namibia and DVS stats of 3-5 cases monthly nationwide with very low mortality rate make the diagnosis highly suspect! Andy Fraser, [25 Jan 2024 at 10:21:00]: Ulf I can send you PCR +ve reports of sheep associated MCF in buffalo with clinical disease. No sheep within 10km radius Richard Burroughs, Silke published this some years ago: I agree that 10 m is worth nothing. I had understood from discussions with Moritz van Vuuren that 1 km was a better proposition. I had a discussion with the MCF vaccine developer at the OVI about when the vaccine is likely to be around. It is ready for testing, but DALRRD insists that the trials are done in the BSL3+ facilities at the FMD/TAD laboratories. That is a challenge, according to Livio Health of TAD. That testing was due to happen in the first part of 2024, with dossier submission to Act 36 thereafter. It is only likely to be available in 2025 or early 2026 Ulf Tubessing, [25 Jan 2024 at 10:31:18]: Andy, I was wondering why we seemingly don’t see sheep associated MCF in countries where every farmer has sheep whereas sheep is important worldwide. Maybe we only look for/report what we want to - putting sheep out there as part of the problem (even if minor) would be egg in the face of DVS. I hope to get PCR results from our lab to get a better picture Erik Verrynne, [25 Jan 2024 at 10:47:53]: Hi Pierre. With direct contact I mean within water and aerosol transmission distance - so sharing the same water is included. I agree 10 m is a waste of resources. Henry Labuschagne, [26 Jan 2024 at 06:52:26]: Thx for your pearls of wisdom Louis. I forgot to mention in my comment : Cattle close to BWB I also advise farmers to inject cattle with Kyroligo together with the Ivomec during periods of stress in wildebeest and also put out enough Nutritub lick. Rob Jackson, [26 Jan 2024 at 07:05:05]: How does the Ivomec work for the MCF, do you think it might inhibit an insect vector? Henry Labuschagne, [26 Jan 2024 at 07:05:49]: It has an antiviral effect I think Feb to March when they normally calf is peak season for infection. I think the fluid and placentas that attracts flies etc plays a major role. The long incubation in some case further complicates the picture. Ulf Tubessing, [26 Jan 2024 at 07:22:07]: Thanks Louis, I also advise cooperation between farmers. Interesting point re Ivermectin and antiviral effects. This was very much on the hit parade during Covid 19. Have there been any publications on this? Alex Lewis [26 Jan 2024 at 07:23:16]: I have three clients with BWB and cattle that run in the same camps for over 20 yrs and have not detected 1 MCF case. Farmers don't introduce new BWB, and they believe that is the reason they don't have issues. Maybe there is some truth to cattle being exposed to same strain getting resistant? I have had 4 cases of sheep associated MCF in buffalo and every time it was long tail sheep and not in same camp. I can't help but wonder if we should not be looking at the BWB only - we should look at breeds or mineral shortages etc. in the cattle that make them susceptible, because no doubt only a few herds of cattle that are repeatedly exposed have issues. I also think where there are vultures jackals etc, there are fewer issues than the cattle areas with unhealthy environment. Ulf Tubessing, [26 Jan 2024 at 07:30:03]: I believe it is quite accurate if I state that 50% of WB farmers in Namibia also stock cattle and our incidence of MCF is very low (under or even over reported? Cases listed in DVS stats are not confirmed!) Richard Burroughs, Interesting yes. Ulf, I know of no studies or publications that indicate an antiviral effect for ivermectin. David Pretorius, [26 Jan 2024 at 08:12:20]: WRSA is looking at facilitating ways to get the vaccine to cattle farmers. I don't know what the OBP situation or registration situation is, but if OBP is sitting on a possible prevention, I find it negligent not to pursue urgent registration Ulf Tubessing, [26 Jan 2024 at 08:31:58]: Would be good if the vaccine was produced by a private company than at least it would happen. Jacques ODell, [26 Jan 2024 at 08:47:26]: Calving season in SA is usually around Dec-Jan. It is a well known fact that most virus is secreted during calving, and this is a high risk period. The Masai avoid contact with cattle-wildebeest during the calving season. One of the challenges with MCF is the variable and often long incubation period. The cow may be clinically sick in June, you blame it on hunting, but it became infected in January during calving season. Louis’ message is correct - farm with the disease. Any stress is a risk. Vaccination will help the cattle farmers and will improve relationships among wildlife and cattle farmers Henry Labuschagne, [26 Jan 2024 at 16:48:52]: Agree Louis. Bos taurus breeds are in my experience way more susceptible to BMC. I have seen Nguni cattle grazing in the same camp as BWB without issue. This calf 4 days old. Mother normal. Both tested positive for BMC wildebeest strain. No Hx of contact with wildebeest.
