Botswana: Government Kills Suspected FMD-Infected Cattle

BOTSWANA - Veterinary officers started killing cattle suspected to be infected with Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD) yesterday in the Okavango area, amid complaints by farmers that the exercise will leave them impoverished.

Speaking in a telephone interview from Sehithwa, Mogotsi Makgetho complained that the officers were shooting any animal they suspected not to have been vaccinated and that they were not rounding them up in one place for checking. He said they have tried to plead with the government that the killing was going to leave them impoverished and have unsuccessfully suggested vaccination.

"Foot and Mouth disease is like any other disease and government should have opted for vaccination instead of slaughtering our cattle," he said. Makgetho said that he did not know where some of his cattle were - whether they had already been shot or not. He added that the carcasses were buried at a place called Murambachikoto far way from the village.

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Source: All Africa

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