FOOT AND MOUTH DISEASE NOT AGAIN!

WHY should we have repeated outbreaks especially among our rural farmers in Central and Southern Provinces. Has the veterinary department not done enough to sensitize the farmers for them to understand the gravity of this disease foot and mouth?

It is important for the government to put its foot down to have firm or total control of this disease. May be these farmers do not know exactly the symptoms of this disease since they are so much used to Corridor (denkete) disease. Therefore, to help them to know the signs or symptoms of this disease below are the highlights of this disease this may help and in turn report to the veterinary officers in their areas.

It is not a killer disease, but causes loss of production and it is serious in dairy cattle. It is worth to know here that our rural farmers in the quest to improve their dairy animals they always ask for improved breeds from those farmers who have gone a step further in this sector. It is these which when affected succumb to the disease easily. Once affected they become lame, thin and lose the whole lactation. The disease is highly infectious and easily spread virus disease.

As already mentioned, the cause of this disease is a virus which produces the characteristic clinical signs blisters on the muzzle, tongue, interior of the mouth, udder and coronets.

Foot and Mouth disease is spread chiefly by the contents of the blisters on bursting and by the milk, urine, nasal discharge and other secretions and excretions which convey the infection directly from a sick animal to those that are healthy (direct transmission).

The is also a whole series of means by which infection may be spread indirectly. And this could be through clothing, tools, vehicles, food troughs, harness, hides, milk, meat, dung, hay and straw that has been used for bedding sick animals. The virus can also be spread by other animals that are not themselves susceptible to the disease such as dogs, fowls, cats etc.

With what has been mentioned above, the veterinary department must be monitoring butcheries and fine out their source of meat supply and so are other meat outlets in districts and towns. This should be obligatory especially in prone areas of Southern and Central Provinces. Meat from these places end up in Lusaka. Transporters moving livestock to other places should equally be scrutinized properly, vehicles they are using can be a means of disease transmission.

Proper census of animals in these areas must be done and whenever animals are to be sold the veterinary officers must be informed and where the meat would be sold and so is the milk issue which is being sold anyhow especially at the markets.

Once, the animal is infected the period before the appearance of disease (this is what is called incubation period), takes about 2 to 4 days and the first sign of disease id the rise in temperature. On progression the animal loses appetite. Saliva escapes from the mouth in long, ropy strands like the last of the white dropping from a broken egg.

When small blisters develop on the coronet, the animal is usually unwilling to rise and can move only with much pain. The udder also develops blisters, the milk looks yellowish and develops a bitter taste and production falls. Blisters usually get infected with secondary bacteria this is very common.

Any animal that recovers that is if it recovers, they are usually poor doers and therefore, uneconomical to keep. The danger arising from this disease on account of its very rapid spread and serious economic effect calls for immediate control measures. As soon as there is any suspicion of foot and mouth disease, the herd should be placed in quarantine and appropriate veterinary authority notified, who will then give the necessary instructions for control.

Therefore, in the situation in which Central and Southern Provinces find themselves in. strict measures must be taken by the veterinary department in order to bring the disease under control.

Farmers be sensitized so that correct animal husbandry practices are carried out to avoid spreading this disease and hence clamp on spontaneous outbreaks of this disease.

Finally, the control of foot and mouth disease would not be complete without strict attention to hygiene. Restriction of visit to an infected farm or area and frequent disinfection of floors and equipment with 2% solution of caustic soda would help to prevent the further spreading of the disease. Neighboring herds in whatever area must also be protected from attack and this can considerably reduce the economic losses caused by this disease. Whatever, measures are taken by the veterinary department to control this disease wherever, it surfaces, they must be supported. The animals are part of the nation’s wealth.