10 Mar 2015

A suspected outbreak of Foot and Mouth Disease has been reported in North West District.

Briefing Parliament on March 9, acting Assistant Minister of Agriculture, Mr Fidelis Molao, said the outbreak was detected on March 4 during pre-movement clinical inspection of 300 cattle that were being loaded at Kareng crush destined for slaughter at the Maun abattoir. He said the cattle were traced to two cattle crushes around Kareng, Maxebo and Lekurwane where the disease was confirmed. 

The assistant minister said investigations revealed 20 cattle with suspicious lesion of variable ages confirming the presence of the disease. He said investigations showed poor vaccination history as out of 188 cattle inspected at the Maxebo crush on March 5, only six cattle were bearing the latest FMD vaccination brand.

The last vaccination was done in the area in September, 2014. “Unless all stakeholders cooperate to ensure proper vaccination, surveillance and management of the cattle, the Foot and Mouth Disease challenge will continue to set us back,” he said.

Mr Molao said this was unfortunate as the last area was in September 2013 and following the long period without any cases since then, they were in negotiations with trading partners to accept cattle and meat from this area, which was going to assist in improving the marketing of cattle and improving livelihoods of people in the area. This also came when the throughput at Maun abattoir was to be increased.

“We are automating the overhead rail and upgrading the management of offal to enable marketing of the offal to areas outside the district which will improve realisation from their sale,” he said. He said they will continue with the improvements despite the setback.

Mr Molao assured Parliament that his ministry would do everything to contain and control the outbreak and ensure the disease would not spread to other areas such as Ghanzi District, which neighbours the Ngamiland District and other parts within the district.

He said they had increased patrols along the Kuke fence and upscale repairs. "We have also blockaded the protection zone fence and farmers are also involved in the blockade of the protection zone fence", he said. ENDS