22 May 2014

Botswana Meat Commission (BMC) has urged farmers in the Kgatleng District to build toilets at their cattle posts or farms to curb the escalating rate of cattle found with measles.

Speaking during a workshop for farmers at BOFWA in Mochudi on May 19, BMC livestock procurement manager, Mr Mooketsi Madome said the commission had lost over P84 million due to beef measles.

Mr Madome said it was costly for the commission because meat diagnosed with measles could not be sold to the markets.

He said in 2011, Lobatse abattoir slaughtered 79 123 cattle and 10.5 per cent of them had measles while the Francistown abattoir recorded 11.6 per cent of beef measles. In 2012, he added, Lobatse and Francistown recorded 12.6 per cent and 12 per cent respectively.

Mr Madome said of the 139 447 cattle slaughtered in facilities in 2013, 17 847 cattle found to be infected with measles. Furthermore, he encouraged farmers to take care of their cattle and also to undertake medical checkups for the treatment of tapeworm which transfers measles from human waste to animals.

Farmers were informed that beef measles is caused by human waste and that the country was badly affected when compared to neighbouring states. The prevalence rate of measles in Botswana is ten per cent while in Namibia and South Africa is below three per cent.

For his part, the principal technical officer from the Department of Veterinary Services, Mr Maikaelelo Rabasima told farmers that cattle get measles from ingesting foodstuffs contaminated with eggs passed from humans.

He said the adult tapeworm uses humans as the main host and cattle as the intermediate host. The commonly affected parts of the cattle are the heart, tongue, diaphragm and muscles of the jaw and legs, he added.


He said there is no treatment for live cattle but the disease can be controlled when human beings resort to using the toilet or digging up the ground whenever relieving themselves.

Mr Rabasima also advised people to buy meat of cattle slaughtered by veterinary officials and eat thoroughly cooked meat. He encouraged farmers to get treatment for tapeworm.

Giving the status of measles in Kgatleng, the principal veterinary officer, Dr Farayi Chigwada said between January and March, a total of 3 485 of cattle were slaughtered and 210 were found with beef measles.

He said the situation was serious, hence the need for farmers to act on the problem, adding that the highest origins of carcasses detained for measles are mostly from Mochudi and Malotwana followed by Malolwane and Artesia villages.

Commenting, farmers called for vigorous campaigns against measles to ensure that the nation at large has enough information on the disease.

One farmer, Mr Disang Maribe encouraged farmers to build toilets at cattle posts to curb the spread of the disease. Another farmer, Mr Supang Palai also urged farmers and herd men to visit health facilities or purchase pills to fight tapeworm.

For his part, David Morwaagole called on all stakeholders amongst others, faramers, ministries of Agriculture and health to come together and solve the problem.  He also suggested that a national deworming campaign be held to address the issue. ends