14 Jul 2021

With the number of rams and bucks donated by President, Dr Mokgweetsi Masisi as part of his personal initiative to support smallstock production, the Department of Animal Health in the North

East District has come up with a strategy to minimise the risk of them dying.

So far three bucks from heart water free zones have died due to heart water disease, with one beneficiary, Ms Elizabeth John losing two of her Boer goats donated by President Masisi.

The other beneficiary that suffered the same fate is Litabamoyo Small Stock Association Management farm from Vukwi near Masunga.

North East District agricultural coordinator, Mr Gwilidzani Maposa said in an interview that recently they received 358 small stock from Lobu ranch in the Kgalagadi South area.

He explained that all the 358 goats and sheep that included Damara sheep, Boer goats, Meat master sheep, Savana goats, the Dorper and Swakara sheep were kept at Impala Research centre for monitoring purposes because they were from a Heartwater free area.

He explained that they would  be kept there for three to four months before they could be released into the ranch and subsequently donated to prospective beneficiaries.

“We have adopted as a district that all arrivals from Heartwater free zones are monitored for adaptability that includes blocking for Heartwater and checking of temperatures.

So far one of the 358 animals, a Boar goat died last weekend due to Heartwater disease,

He said experience had shown that farmers were failing to effectively monitor them upon arrival from Heartwater free areas.

“We have as a district adopted a strategy to monitor all new arrivals for adaptability” he added.

Meanwhile, Dr Keotshepile Lubinda of the Department of Veterinary Services under the Ministry of Agricultural development and Food Security explained during a tour of the centre by Assistant

Minister Beauty Manake that the Heartwater blood vaccine was not manufactured locally.

He said the vaccine was imported from Port Elizabeth, South Africa.

This prompted the Assistant Minister to question why Botswana Vaccine Institute was unable to manufacture the vaccine.

Meanwhile, Ms John explained that she would not despair after losing her two male goats, which she received from President Masisi.

She explained that the replacement of the goats that died of Heartwater disease by President Masisi left her speechless, saying it was a learning curve for her.

She thanked President Masisi for having given her a second chance and appealed to him to continue with the gesture and donate to other deserving citizens.

“I thank the president for having given me another chance, but all is not lost because the first goat left me with kids,” she added. ENDS