A shortage of vaccines against Foot and Mouth disease has stopped the routine inoculation of cattle in the Mopane District of Limpopo.
An increase in the cases of the disease has now been reported.
The Department of Agriculture says vaccines have been ordered and will be delivered this weekend.
George Mahlaule owns seven cattle at Halahala and says they have all contracted Foot and Mouth disease and a vaccine is hard to come by.
Mahlaule says the Department told him there are no vaccines available.
“From September I have noticed that my cattle are sick. I reported it to the department who told me that they do not have vaccines and will come when the vaccines have arrived.”
Herdsman Isaac Dumo, looks after the seven cattle, as well as 21 others from a neighbour.
“I look after these cows and another 21 from the neighbour. All the animals are sick and one has died already,” says Dumo.
Departmental spokesperson, Selby Makgoto says they inoculated 11 000 cattle in September before the vaccine ran out.
“So as such we have ordered 15 000 doses of vaccine that we have been assured will be arriving this weekend. So our plan is that as early as next week we will be having our veterinary services on site. All affected communities in and around Mopane district will be attended to.”
A new vaccine has been sourced from Botswana as the Foot and Mouth vaccine is not available in South Africa.
