Foot And Mouth Vaccines Run Out In Mat South
16/05/2011 15:14:00
Gwanda, 16 May 2011 – Thousands of cattle in Matabeleland South province
could succumb to the deadly Foot and Mouth disease amid revelations that the
region has run out of vaccines to fight the highly contagious disease.
A fresh outbreak has been reported in Stanmore, 30km outside Gwanda town
three months since the disease was detected and put under control.
Although officials at the Veterinary Department refused to speak to Radio
VOP, farmers who visited the centre to seek assistance for their ailing
cattle said they were disappointed not to get help.
“We are afraid we will have to watch our cattle die after we were told by
the vet officials that they were still awaiting supplies from Harare, we are
being turned away and being told to seek alternatives such as wound powder
and penicillin”, said Sikhumbuzo Sibanda a peasant farmer in Stanmore.
Vet officials have since mounted a roadblock at Esigodini in endeavour to
control the movement of cattle.
Foot-and-mouth disease or hoof-and-mouth disease is an infectious and
sometimes fatal viral disease affects cloven-hoofed animals. The virus
causes a high fever for two days followed by blisters inside the mouth and
on feet that rupture and cause lameness.
A shortage of beef is likely soon as containment of the disease demands
trade restrictions and quarantines and the elimination of infected cattle.