STATE WINS CATTLE DISEASE BATTLE

…over 18,000 out of 20,000 animals vaccinated in three districts

MORE THAN 18,000 heads of cattle have been vaccinated against Foot and Mouth disease in three districts in North Western Province where the disease broke out.

This is figure is out of the 20,000 heads of cattle that were targeted to be vaccinated during the exercise in Kabompo, Chavuma and Zambezi districts were the outbreak was reported in July this year.

North western provincial Veterinary officer Dr Peter Banda said in an interview that the vaccination of cattle against Foot and Mouth disease in the three affected districts was meant to create a buffer zone to prevent the disease from spreading to other districts.

Dr Banda said the vaccination exercise followed governments move to buy 20,000 doses of vaccine which were delivered to the province for the exercise which started in October this year.

‘’I can confirm that as department of livestock, we have vaccinated over 18,000 heads of cattle in all the three districts where there was an outbreak of foot and mouth disease, Dr Banda said.

He said surveillance of the disease was also done in Manyinga, Mufumbwe and Mwinilunga districts which are closer to the three affected districts.

He said officers from the Ministry of Fisheries and Livestock are currently conducting a mop up exercise to vaccinate more animals in the affected districts to reach the target of 20,000.