Maravi

Cattle disease breaks out in Itezhi-tezhi

Cattle disease breaks out in Itezhi-tezhi
By Fredrick Mwansa in Itezhi-tezhi
Fri 17 Feb. 2012, 12:01 CAT

LUMPY skin disease, a cattle disease which causes body weakness and miscarriage in cows, has reportedly broken out in Itezhi-tezhi district. Chief Shimbizhi said many areas in his chiefdom had been affected by the disease which is caused by lumpy skin virus.

He urged the government to quickly control the disease before more animals die.
He said medicines for these diseases were not readily available and that when available, most farmers could not afford them.

Itezhi-tezhi district veterinary officer Dr Shepherd Phiri said lack of vaccines had worsened cases of lumpy skin, a disease that has affected almost all districts of Southern Province.

Dr Phiri said vaccines were difficult to acquire because the epidemic was unexpected and rare.

Lumpy skin disease is an acute infectious disease of cattle not among the list of diseases of significant economic importance and endemic in Zambia and as such vaccines are not readily available.

The disease causes the infected female animals to lose fertility and have low milk production, but has no effect on humans.

Dr Phiri however warned residents against eating meat from animals that have died due to the disease as it was possible that they could contract other diseases.

Meanwhile, the government has set aside about K700 million for cattle restocking programme in Central Province this year.

Central Province permanent secretary Edwin Zumbunu disclosed this when he visited Muchende Utuba farm in chief Shimbizhi's chiefdom in Itezhi-tezhi district on Wednesday.

And Muchende Utuba proprietor Sydney Kamano appealed to the government to subsidize lumpy skin disease vaccines.

Labels: CATTLE DISEASE

posted by MrK @ 4:09 PM