IMPORT OF CLOVEN HOOFED ANIMALS SUSPENDED

By Mary Kachepa:

Government has temporarily suspended the import of cloven -hoofed animals and their products from South Africa indefinitely.

Ministry of Fisheries and Livestock Acting Director Veterinary Services GEOFFREY MUUKA says this follows the recent announcements of outbreaks of foot and mouth disease in South Africa.

Dr MUUKA says all permits that have already been issued are also suspended with immediate effect.

He adds that the transit through Zambia of live cloven-hoofed animals from South Africa is also suspended with immediate effect.

Dr MUUKA says the suspension has been necessitated by the recent announcements made by the Minister of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development that South Africa is battling 56 outbreaks of the Foot and Mouth Disease in farms and communal areas.

He told ZNBC News in a statement that foot and mouth disease is a highly contagious disease of cloven-hoofed animals which include domestic livestock such as cattle, pigs, goats and sheep as well as cloven-hoofed game species such as buffalo.

Dr MUUKA has urged the public and all stakeholders to cooperate with the government in implementing measures focused on reducing the risk of entry of this disease.

He said the Department of Veterinary Services will continue to monitor the situation of FMD in South Africa and will advise accordingly.

Dr MUUKA said Zambia is currently contending with an outbreak of the African swine fever that has affected the pig industry in Lusaka province and that the government would not want to exacerbate the situation by allowing importations that could lead to an outbreak of another major disease.

 

 

 

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