adminElita Chikwati Agriculture Reporter
More than 18 000 cattle and other livestock at Chingwizi in the Nuanetsi Ranch where victims of Tokwe-Mukosi floods were relocated are under threat from foot and mouth, anthrax, lumpy skin and newcastle, with the Department of Veterinary Services struggling to mobilise vaccines.
The livestock was relocated to Chingwizi together with their owners after the Tokwe-Mukosi area was struck by floods.
The veterinary department is facing funding challenges and is appealing for more than US$2 million to buy vaccines and rehabilitate livestock infrastructure in the area.
The department’s director Dr Josphat Nyika said on Wednesday there was an urgent need for compulsory vaccinations to save cattle, goats, sheep, poultry and donkeys that were relocated to Chingwizi.
He said the department had mobilised part of vaccines for foot and mouth that were recently administered, but did not have adequate resources to prepare vaccines for newcastle disease that affect poultry.
“Chingwizi does not have adequate dipping facilities,” said Dr Nyika. “So far, we have identified 11 dip tanks in the resettlement area, but they need rehabilitation.
“The cattle had been living in a foot and mouth free area in Tokwe-Mukosi, while Chingwizi is in the foot and mouth red zone.”
Dr Nyika said there were several wild animals in Chingwizi, including jackals that are natural hosts for rabies.
“People moved with their dogs and there are chances that jackals will transmit rabies to dogs which will in turn pass it onto people, especially children,” he said.
“There is an urgent need to vaccinate the dogs and cats against rabies. The dipping programme for animals moved to Chingwizi must be followed strictly to avoid cattle dying from tick-borne diseases.
Dip chemicals are needed to maintain the tick control programme.
“We require drugs since the movement stress may trigger tick-borne diseases. Livestock is being kept in muddy kraals and the grazing area is also wet exposing, the animals to bacteria that cause foot rot.”
Dr Nyika said the department required antibiotics like oxytetracyclines and penicillin for treating the affected animals.
The heavy rains and floods have caused erosion and this exposes livestock to soil borne diseases like anthrax and black leg or quarter evil.
The wet weather encourages proliferation of biting flies some of which spread the lumpy skin disease virus.
Online Reporter