80% of Zambezi cattle vaccinated against FMD
The agriculture ministry urges farmers to continue taking their cattle to crush pens for a booster vaccination against the FMD virus serotype O.
ELLANIE SMIT
WINDHOEK
The agriculture ministry has vaccinated close to 80% of the targeted 170 000 cattle population against foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) in the Zambezi Region.
According to the spokesperson of the ministry, Jona Musheko, mass FMD vaccination against FMD SAT 1, 2 and 3 (the usual FMD) and FMD virus serotype O (the new strain) started on 21 September.
According to Musheko, a total of 135 137 cattle have been vaccinated against the FMD SATs, while 131 556 cattle were vaccinated against Type O.
He is said 141 678 cattle were brought for vaccination at crush pens in the region.
“This gives us a cumulative coverage of 79.5% of the targeted 170 000 cattle population in Zambezi Region.”
Booster vaccination with the FMD virus serotype O vaccine started on 19 October. By 22 October, a total of 12 746 out of 13 124 cattle presented at 34 crush pens were given the second dose of vaccination.
The ministry detected an outbreak of FMD at Kasenu village in the Kabbe South Constituency in the Zambezi Region on 28 May.
The disease then spread to three other constituencies - namely Kabbe North, Katima Rural and Kongola - infecting more than 1 300 cattle.
The last known case was reported at Mukisa village in September.
Animal movement restrictions in the region are still in place in and around strategic entry points.
“We urge our farmers to continue bringing their cattle for the booster dose and to adhere to animal movement restrictions to in place within the Zambezi Region,” said Musheko.
[email protected]
WINDHOEK
The agriculture ministry has vaccinated close to 80% of the targeted 170 000 cattle population against foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) in the Zambezi Region.
According to the spokesperson of the ministry, Jona Musheko, mass FMD vaccination against FMD SAT 1, 2 and 3 (the usual FMD) and FMD virus serotype O (the new strain) started on 21 September.
According to Musheko, a total of 135 137 cattle have been vaccinated against the FMD SATs, while 131 556 cattle were vaccinated against Type O.
He is said 141 678 cattle were brought for vaccination at crush pens in the region.
“This gives us a cumulative coverage of 79.5% of the targeted 170 000 cattle population in Zambezi Region.”
Booster vaccination with the FMD virus serotype O vaccine started on 19 October. By 22 October, a total of 12 746 out of 13 124 cattle presented at 34 crush pens were given the second dose of vaccination.
The ministry detected an outbreak of FMD at Kasenu village in the Kabbe South Constituency in the Zambezi Region on 28 May.
The disease then spread to three other constituencies - namely Kabbe North, Katima Rural and Kongola - infecting more than 1 300 cattle.
The last known case was reported at Mukisa village in September.
Animal movement restrictions in the region are still in place in and around strategic entry points.
“We urge our farmers to continue bringing their cattle for the booster dose and to adhere to animal movement restrictions to in place within the Zambezi Region,” said Musheko.
[email protected]
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