Foot-and-mouth disease continued to dominate disease discussions during May, with outbreaks increasingly reported from areas that were previously unaffected, including parts of the Northern Cape, the western and southern Free State, and commercial farming areas of the Eastern Cape.

The transition from autumn to winter created challenging conditions for livestock across much of South Africa. Continued rainfall, flooding in some regions and repeated cold fronts resulted in large fluctuations in temperature, creating favourable conditions for respiratory disease, parasite-related problems and
nutritional disorders.

Pneumonia cases increased during May and are expected to remain one of the most important disease challenges during the winter months. These outbreaks are often associated with sudden weather changes, cold stress and management events such as weaning.