The Sunday News
Dumisani Nsingo, Senior Farming Reporter
A SECOND Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD) outbreak in Matabeleland region has been reported in Hwange District in Matabeleland North Province.
The latest outbreak is reported to have been detected in Hwange three weeks ago, the same week as the one which was reported in Esigodini in Matabeleland South Province.
Hwange district veterinary officer Dr Lovemore Dube confirmed the disease outbreak in Jambezi and Mabale areas.
According to Dr Dube the highest number of cattle, which showed clinical signs of the highly contagious viral disease were recorded at three dip tanks in the Jambezi area where 30 cases were reported at Mbizha dip tank near Matetsi, 15 cases at Milonga dip tank but he was not in a position to name the number of the affected cattle and the third dip tank by the time of going to press.
In the Mabale area two cattle were reported to have shown signs of the disease.
“There were two sporadic outbreaks in Jambezi and Mabale areas but there are two factors, which need to be looked at, firstly Hwange District is next to the Hwange National Park, which boast of numerous buffaloes. So these are bound to interact with cattle in the area and since buffaloes are carriers close contact with the animals leads to them being infected.
“Secondly most of the Hwange area is a rocky area so grazing as we approach winter tends to be depleted and on the other hand most of the wild animals in the park are browsers not grazers as cattle. So as grazing land depletes inland, villagers tend to send their animals into the park for relief grazing,” said Dr Dube.
He said the effects of El Nino, which saw the country receiving very low rains towards the end of the rainy season also affected availability of sufficient pastures in the district, culminating in villagers moving their livestock into the park.
Dr Dube said the Department of Veterinary Services had quarantined the movement of cattle from the affected areas to other areas within Hwange and outside the district.
“The ideal situation is to have all the cattle in the district vaccinated but because of the economic situation, which is being faced by the country we cannot manage and we have had to limit the outbreak to affected areas by having the whole of Hwange under quarantine.
“We are seeing a positive response, even without vaccination if we impose strict movement control measures and participatory action by the community we can control the spread of the disease. There is no speculator who can get into the area and move animals under such circumstances,” Dr Dube said.
He said although there was not much in terms of beef production marketing in the district, the outbreak affects most of the communal farmers in terms of low milk yields if their cows are affected by the disease.
“There is no need for alarm, the situation is under control as the outbreaks are localised and we have been engaged in participatory epidemiology whereby we have been interacting with the farmers, local traditional leaders and councillors sensitising them about FMD, pleading with them to limit or to be on guard against all movement of cattle while we try to control the disease and it’s proving to work,” said Dr Dube.
