More than 300 Bonsmara
embryos were sent to Paraguay last month after lengthy negotiations to
reinstate export protocols.
Dr Pierre van Rooyen is the
retired CEO of the SA Stud Book and chair of the National Genetic Export
Advisory Committee.
He says South Africa was
effectively shut out of the global genetics market a major blow for local stud
breeders whose animals remain in high demand.
READ: New Foot-and-Mouth Disease outbreak confirmed in Free State
Van Rooyen says South
Africa’s indigenous breeds are especially prized for their hardiness,
adaptability and production ability backed by trusted breeding systems and
performance records.
However, he adds that people
are still very anxious to get our genetic material.
”Regardless the fact that we have foot and mouth,
there are certain restrictions and certain guidelines for this, and this is a
quite elaborate type of negotiation. The thing is that the negotiations can
only be done on the interdepartmental of level. In other words, between the
Department of Animal Diseases in South Africa and the department on the other
side.”
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