Subsistence livestock farmers in the Mopani and Vhembe districts in Limpopo are concerned about the outbreak of foot and mouth disease.
The farmers are calling on the veterinarians in the Agriculture Department to help to inoculate their livestock.
The department has confirmed the outbreak. Several areas in the Collins Chabane, Thulamela and Ba-Phalaborwa municipalities have been identified as hotspots.
Tests confirm an outbreak of Foot-and-Mouth Disease at three Free State farms:
The movement of cloven-hoofed animals has been restricted.
The farmers in Selwane village outside Phalaborwa say they will lose their goats and cattle.
“Our goats are just dying this year, we have lost many goats due to illness, and we are requesting the government to assist us with vaccinations of the livestock. Our cows were vaccinated last year, this year they never vaccinated them for foot and mouth.”
Meanwhile, the provincial department’s spokesperson Joshua Kwapa says they are deploying veterinarians to the affected areas.
“We quarantine infected dip-tanks and prohibited movement of animals in this financial year, we will be recruiting three state veterinary doctors who will be based in Vhembe, Mopani and Mokopane. We will further employ 12 animal technicians, were out of seven will be based in Vhembe and Mopani.”
