Unconfirmed reports emanating from Botswana say foot and mouth disease has been detected in cattle on the Zimbabwean side about 30 kilometres from the common border. Botswanas Agriculture Minister Christian De Graff said his government was putting in place measures to prevent the disease spreading into Botswana, including intensified border patrols and stringent inspection of vehicular and human traffic from Zimbabwe.
A 10-kilometre buffer zone will be demarcated and movement of cloven hoofed animals across the buffer zone allowed only with a permit. The 500-kilometre fence of the Botswana/Zimbabwe border will be maintained more regularly to prevent cross-border movements of buffaloes and cattle, De Graff said. No comment could be obtained from Zimbabwes Agriculture Minister Joseph Made or Director of Veterinary Services on reports of a foot and mouth outbreak in Matabeleland.
Previous outbreaks of the deadly animal disease have led to diplomatic tension between the two neighbours, with Harare accusing Gaborone of killing Zimbabwean cattle that strays into Botswana. De Graff said the intensified surveillance measures introduced by Botswana this week were meant to protect the countrys beef exports which would suffer if the outbreak was not contained. Zimbabwe has itself lost the lucrative European Union beef market due to constant outbreaks of foot and mouth.
Post published in: News