By SYDNEY KATONGO
IN Ngabwe, Central Province, livestock rearing is regarded to be a major income earner second to crop farming and a major contributor to improved nutrition.
However, the growth of the sector is constantly threatened by spread of animal diseases which affect the livelihood of the people who depend on it for income generation.
The sharing of water points with people and insufficient number of dip tanks in the district puts the animals at risk of contracting foot and mouth disease.
To prevent the outbreak of foot and mouth disease in the district, Ministry of Fisheries and Livestock through the veterinary department has vaccinated over 14, 000 animals against Foot and Mouth Disease.
Ngabwe District Veterinary Officer Dr Jonathan Sinyinza confirmed in interview that the district received 16, 500 vaccination doses from Government to vaccinate livestock animals against foot and mouth disease. Over 14, 947 animals have so far been vaccinated against Foot and mouth disease representing 90 percent of the total animal population.
“Ngabwe has a population of about 20, 000 animals and the we are targeting to vaccinate 16, 500 animals which is exactly equal to the number of vaccine doses that we received and so far we have managed to vaccinate 14, 947 animals against foot and mouth disease” Dr Sinyinza said.
The vaccines were divided into three camps – Ngabwe, Iwonde and Mukubwe – with each camp receiving according to the animal population hence Ngabwe camp received 4, 000 doses, Iwonde 7, 000 doses and Mukubwe 5, 500 doses.
FMD is a highly infectious contagious disease which affects both wild and livestock animals and causes economic loss due to deaths of animal and also affects milk production.
“We are urging our farmers to take our vaccination exercise very seriously and ensure that their animals are vaccinated against foot and mouth disease,” Dr Sinyinza added.
He also disclosed that the district has recorded cases of East Coast Fever which has claimed the lives of over 40 animals and he has since urged animal owners to be vigilant by ensuring that they dip their animals especially in the rain season to avoid further loss.
“We have realised that the method of dipping animals using dip tanks is not very effective during the rain season as the medicine get washed away by the rains hence the need for animal owners to adopt the pour-on-dip method which most effective,” Dr Sinyinza said. ñ NAIS.
Author
