80 000 cattle have been vaccinated against anthrax in Matabeleland South province, the Veterinary Department has revealed.
In an interview with the Chronicle, Matabeleland South provincial veterinary officer, Dr Enat Mdlongwa disclosed that bovines are at high risk of contracting anthrax during drought years. He said:
We have some farms or dip tanks that we classify as traditional anthrax areas.
We have vaccinated about 80 000 animals against anthrax from these areas.
Anthrax is one of the diseases that in Matabeleland South Province we normally detect during a drought situation and this is because of one scientific reason that animals will be grazing right up to the ground and they will be picking the anthrax spore from the ground.
Animals will also be getting their water from very low dam levels during the drought period. For that reason, we have vaccinated our animals against anthrax.
Mdlongwa also revealed that there has been an increase in cases of dog bites and the department is conducting a vaccination programme for dogs in Matobo and Beitbridge districts.
He urged farmers to vaccinate their dogs as prescribed by the Rabies Act of 1978 which states that a dog has to be vaccinated at three months, nine months, 12 months and then after every three years.