The ManicaPost
Samuel Kadungure Senior Reporter
GOVERNMENT this week killed and burnt eight cattle that were illegally moved from Middle Sabi to Daisy Hill in Chipinge in a bid to curb the spread of the contagious foot-and-mouth disease.
The disease’s transmission is aided by movement of infected animals and products.
FMD outbreak has resurfaced in Middle Sabi areas like Chibuwe, Maronga and Kondo, with the Department of Veterinary Services putting a blanket ban on livestock movement throughout the district.
Middle Sabi has been declared a red zone where unvaccinated livestock share grazing pastures with buffaloes straying from Save Conservancy following the vandalism of the double line boundary fence.
Efforts to combat the FMD outbreak are being militated by acute shortage of foot-and-mouth vaccines in the country, making livestock movement control or quarantine the first line of defence against the serious livestock disease.
Farmers in the affected areas are known for driving their animals into the Save Conservancy in search of pastures, thereby putting them in serious danger of contracting FMD which is present in buffalo populations.
There are nearly 3 000 buffaloes in the Save Conservancy, and 300 are wreaking havoc in Middle Sabi, exposing the nearly 70 000 cattle in surrounding farmlands to the disease.
The situation has been compounded by farmers’ failure to vaccinate their animals.
Provincial Veterinary Officer for Manicaland Dr Charles Guri confirmed being issued with the destruction and disposal order by the Director of Veterinary Services Dr Josphat Nyika.
He dispatched a team that killed and burnt the herd on Wednesday.
The Director of Veterinary Services of Zimbabwe is empowered by the Animal Health Act, Chapter 19: 01 to grant the destruction and safe disposal order.
“It is true that there was illegal cattle movement from Kondo, which is a vaccination zone, to the Daisy Hill area, which is a clean and high surveillance area. We were granted a destruction order by the Director of Veterinary Services and the herd was killed and burnt to ensure safe disposal on Wednesday,” said Dr Guri.
Chipinge District veterinary officer Dr Pikitayi Chanaiwa said the animals were intercepted at Daisy Hill last week and their ownership was still being investigated by the police.
Dr Chanaiwa refused to discuss the extent of FMD problem in the district citing restrictive protocol, but could only say animal health inspectors, with assistance of the police, will continue to mount roadblocks barring livestock movements from the red zone.
Issuance of livestock and carcass movement permits also remain suspended.
The roadblocks are mounted at Tanganda and Sakuinje Junction where vehicle tyres are being sprayed with disinfectants, while carcasses are confiscated and burnt.
“Police are verifying the issue of ownership of the herd. When farmers want to move livestock, they should first seek guidance from us. They should come to us first so that we tell them where to move and not to move their livestock,” said Dr Chanaiwa.
The major hiccup is the shortage of foot-and-mouth vaccines in the country.
The vaccines are imported from Botswana.
Minister of Agriculture, Mechanisation and Irrigation Development Dr Joseph Made on Wednesday said Government was working on re-establishing the FMD zone fences to reduce spread of the disease.
Dr Made said vaccinations were not effective due to the presence of FMD in buffalo populations.
“We will re-establish the FMD control fences to create the white, green and red zones. The theory of vaccination will not be able to succeed because we have the buffalo which is the carrier of FMD. Vaccinations are good, but we do not have vaccines and at times we miss the dates of vaccinations and this is not sustainable,” Dr Made said.
The highly contagious FMD was first reported a month ago after 16 cattle were affected at Taguta Farm in Middle Sabi.
