22 Aug 2016

Member of Parliament for Bobonong, Mr Shaw Kgathi, has informed residents of Mathathane and Molalatau that the Ministry of Agriculture has dispatched 100 000 ear tags to cattle farmers in the veterinary Zone 7.

Addressing kgotla meetings in the two villages recently, Mr Kgathi said ear tags would be offered free to farmers and were only earmarked to be used in zone 7, which is currently classified as Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD) vaccinated zone.

Mr Kgathi, also Minister of Defence, Justice and Security, advised farmers to comply and not use such ear tags in zones outside zone 7 because that would create confusion to the Department of Veterinary Services.

He explained that ear tags were inserted with a specialised machine and thus implored veterinary officials to assist farmers so that they were rightly placed on livestock ears.

On the status of FMD in the zone, Mr Kgathi told residents that the ministry had applied for inspection and assessment to the governing body being the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) and as such all animals must be ear tagged to pass the test.

Meanwhile, since the last outbreak some years back, there had not been new occurrences and the minister thus commended farmers for helping the Ministry of Agriculture to combat the disease by observing movement of their livestock to curb the spread.

Also as a way of addressing FMD outbreak in the area, he informed residents that stray cattle from Zimbabwe would be culled upon entering Botswana, adding they had already informed their neighbour about such move in order to protect the country’s beef industry.

He said the Botswana Meat Commission (BMC) in Francistown had also been opened for farmers to sell their livestock.

Mr Kgathi further informed residents that President Lt Gen Dr Seretse Khama Ian Khama has declared drought throughout the country and as such stock feeds had been reduced by 50 per cent to enable farmers to feed their livestock.

On other issues, Mr Kgathi expressed concern about littering which was reported to him by farmers in cattle posts of Maekwane and Selepswe about people who dumped litter and other materials indiscriminately in grazing and drinking areas.

 That, he said led to environmental degradation and thus called on people to dispose of litter in a manner that would not compromise the environment.

 On the other hand, some residents in Mathathane expressed concern about increasing cases of stock theft where cattle, small stock and donkeys were not spared by criminals. 

  One resident, Mr Boy Modimana appealed to the MP that police and other security agents must raid kraals to check for stolen livestock.

 Mr Modimana said such crimes were committed by young people who now owned large herds of stock which they did not inherit or buy.

 In Molalatau, some residents also decried stock theft in their village.

 One Mr Mosipidi Malema said stock theft had turned people into destitution and thus called for amendment of the law so that criminals faced stringent punishment. Ends