02 Jul 2014

Deputy director of veterinary services, Dr  Kekgonne Baipoledi has said that 26 263 cattle have been restored to farmers in the North East District while other farmers demanded cash. 

Addressing the media in Francistown on June 26, Dr Baipoledi said the outbreak of the Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD) in 2011, led to the killing of about 48 000 cattle to control the disease.

He said the restocking exercise in the district was 99.8 per cent complete, adding that, “the only process lagging behind is that of restocking dairy cattle.”

Dr Baipoledi stated that at the beginning of July, they would be starting the procurement and restocking of the dairy cattle, while some farmers had been given cash for their 5 647 cattle.  

The deputy director who is also the FMD eradication coordinator said that they depopulated 25 000 small stock (sheep and goats) and they managed to return 14 257 and also gave cash for 3 364 small stock.

By the end of July, this year, he said every farmer would have got their livestock back and it was upon his department to ensure that the disease does re-occur.

Dr Baipoledi commended farmers and Batswana in general for their support for providing cattle to restock Zone Six.  

“They are the reason why we made it possible to reach this milestone,” said the FMD eradication coordinator.

He noted that they were in the process of constructing a fence along the border lines to cut out a protection zone, and also applauded the media for having been supportive during the whole process.
Dr Baipoledi said following the restocking exercise, they had challenges such as cattle dying because they could not adapt to the landscape and the grazing areas.

He said he was happy to announce that the government is in a process of finding a way in which they can help those farmers who lost their livestock because of that.

For his part, the North East district commissioner, Mr Rapetse Mathumo said that he was also appreciative and overwhelmed by the way the media handled the issue, saying that it really showed that they are concerned and willing to help in FMD eradication. 

He thanked farmers who sold livestock to the government to compensate others because it takes somebody with passion to accept the small amount the government was willing to pay for each cattle. ENDS