19 Sep 2022

Government is set to carry out a mass depopulation of cattle at Zone 6b, which was recently affected by the contagious Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD).

Addressing members of the media and the cattle farming community in Francistown on Thursday, Assistant Minister of Agriculture, Mr Molebatsi Molebatsi said the strategy was aimed at obtaining a green zone status for the area.

He said the overall objective of the strategy was to eradicate FMD at Zone 6b and to populate the zone as soon as the green zone status was obtained.

Mr Molebatsi said clinical cases indicated that the area to be depopulated covered villages north of Bisoli ranches namely, Jackalas 1, Ramokgwebana, Tsamaya, Tshesebe, Butale, Senyawe, Siviya and Mabudzane.

This area, which makes part of Zone 6b, has a cattle population of 19 000, 11 816 goats, 2 007 sheep and 8 44 pigs, all these being cloven-hoofed animals that carry and transmit FMD.

Mr Molebatsi said the decision to depopulate the whole area was taken after a careful consideration of both short and long term impact of the disease on livelihoods, the economy, and the livestock industry.

He said in order to achieve the objectives of the strategy, the area affected had been declared a containment zone and emergency vaccination would be administered in all the herds within the containment zone, adding that a total of 9 600 cattle had already been vaccinated in the containment zone.

He said cattle in the containment zone shall be quarantined for a period of not less than 30 days before being slaughtered in an approved abattoir, then the meat would be rendered safe.

Mr Molebatsi said all animals not meeting abattoir slaughter standards would be humanely killed and buried in accordance with applicable environmental laws.

He said farmers shall be compensated at a rate of P2 480  per beast irrespective of age, sex or breed.

The assistant minister, however, indicated that farmers having 10 cattle or less would be compensated in cash or in kind while those having more than 10 cattle would be given 10 cattle first, then compensated at a ratio of 70 per cent cash and 30 per cent cattle for any number beyond 10.

He said the option to depopulate other cloven-hoofed animals would only be implemented if disease surveillance established that there was virus circulation in the species. 

He said compensation shall be P600 per animal irrespective of species, sex, age or breed.

He said for those having more than 10 goats, sheep or pigs would also be given 10 animals first of whatever animal had been depopulated, then compensated at a ratio of 70 per cent cash and 30 per cent animal for any number beyond 10. Mr Molebatsi said surveillance would continue at Zone 6b and areas within 10 kilometres of Zone 6b radius, adding that all clove- hoofed animals that strayed out of Zone 6b shall be destroyed without compensation. He appealed to all farmers countrywide to ensure that all cattle were branded with zonal brand. Further he said farmers should ensure that all cattle were BAITS ear tagged.

He said government had since imposed a complete livestock movement restriction across the country and that no slaughter of animals remained in force at Zone 6b as well as in nearby zones such as 3c, 6a and 7.

“For the rest of the country, movement protocols have been revised to facilitate movement of cattle and other susceptible stock only for direct slaughter,” explained Mr Molebatsi.

He said livestock and meat export also remained suspended until the investigation into the disease was concluded and export protocols were agreed upon with trading partners. 

He acknowledged that the killing all animals was a painful moment for farmers because they depended on them for their livelihoods.

He said the exercise would cost over P100 million, adding that since the outbreaks in the areawere frequent, there was need for a long term intervention.

Meanwhile, some of the farmers who attended the briefing did not take kindly to government’s decision to depopulate the area and requested for an audience with the Minister of Agriculture. ends