By Josua Kwapa & Muifha Tshifhiwa
MEC for Limpopo Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (LDARD) Ms Nandi Ndalane led the vaccination campaign in response to the fight against Food and Mouth (FMD) outbreak at Shakadza dipping tank. This was after the detection of the disease at Mangaya Village, 10km radius from Shakadza on the 01st of March 2022.
The launch also resulted in the declaration of Shakadza village under Musina Municipality in Vhembe district being an FMD controlled area.
The African Buffalos are believed to be the permanent carrier of the disease hence they spread the disease through grazing at the same area with cattle.
Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD) is a highly contagious viral disease affecting cattle and other cloven-hoofed ruminants, with significant economic impact. The disease is rarely fatal in adult animals, but mortality rates are high in young animals and in susceptible populations morbidity approaches 100%. Those animals that recover are usually weakened and debilitated.
Limpopo province is amongst the five provinces in South Africa with whom FMD outbreak has been detected.
“The team of 33 Veterinary officials have been working tirelessly in fight against FMD since the beginning of April 2022. Vaccination, sampling and F-branding on over 10 000 cattle from the villages around Mangaya village (where the disease was first detected) has been conducted so far”, said Dr Rhangani Tambudzani, LDARD Vhembe District Deputy Director for Veterinary Services.
Addressing the livestock farmers and the media during vaccination campaign at Shakadza Dipping tank, MEC Ndalane warned against the movement of animals from FMD controlled areas to FMD free areas. “Our people need to be educated about the dangers and setbacks associated with these animal movements and not perceive it as government-imposed punishment on their farming activities. FMD denies the country to sell or even to export their livestock to other countries”. She requested the livestock farmers to partner with the government in the fight against the disease. She also encouraged the farmers to take their livestock to the dipping tanks for inspection as well as taking responsibility for the maintenance of the infrastructure in dipping tanks.
Security measure including vaccinations, inspections and surveillance and movement control will continue to be put in place until the affected areas are declared FMD free zones.
