The Ministry of Lands and Agriculture has announced suspected cases of Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD in Zone 6B of the North East District, prompting the immediate enforcement of strict livestock movement controls.
In a press release issued on Tuesday morning, the ministry said the suspected cases were detected at the Jackalas 1 crush in the Tsamaya Extension Area of the Masunga District, which falls under Disease Control Zone 6B. The statement said investigations are currently ongoing to confirm the outbreak.
As a precautionary measure, authorities have imposed an immediate ban on the movement of all cloven-hoofed animals, except within Disease Control Zone 2, which covers Ngamiland and Okavango, and Zone 1 in Chobe. The ministry disclosed that all previously issued livestock movement permits have thus been revoked with immediate effect.
The ministry has also prohibited the movement of fresh products from cloven-hoofed animals, including meat and fresh milk, between disease control zones. In addition, the movement of livestock feeds, trophies, skins (dikgole) and hooves out of Zones 6B, 3C (Maitengwe), 3B and 7 has been suspended. Further, exportation of cloven-hoofed animals and their fresh products has been halted, while the importation of all cloven-hoofed animals has also been suspended, with all related permits revoked.
However, the ministry clarified that the importation of processed products such as pasteurised milk, ultra-high temperature (UHT) milk and cooked products remains allowed.
Furthermore, farmers in affected and surrounding areas have been urged to take heightened precautions to prevent the potential spread of the disease. These include herding and kraaling animals to prevent them from straying into other districts or neighbouring countries. The ministry has further reminded farmers to ensure that all cattle are properly identified using the Botswana Animal Identification and Traceability System (BAITS) ear tags, zonal brands and owner brands.
Additionally, farmers, members of the public, and stakeholders have also been called upon to cooperate fully with government officials who are conducting further disease investigations.
Foot and Mouth Disease is a highly contagious viral disease affecting cloven-hoofed animals such as cattle, goats, sheep, and pigs. Outbreaks often result in strict movement controls due to their potential impact on livestock production, trade, and national beef exports.
