A man who transported 81 goats from <a href="https://www.pindula.co.zw/Gokwe">Gokwe</a> is counting his losses after the livestock was intercepted at a roadblock in Selous and the Department of Veterinary Services ordered the destruction of all the animals. 
Gokwe is a high-risk zone for foot and mouth disease.
<blockquote>
<h2>DESTRUCTION AND DISPOSAL ORDER</h2>
Information at my disposal indicates that on 19 October 2022, Eighty-one (81) goats belonging to Mr Masiya Muteyaunga, ID Number 26-146754)26 were intercepted by members of <a href="https://www.pindula.co.zw/Zimbabwe_Republic_Police">ZRP</a> and Veterinary Services at Selous Roadblock in Chegutu District. The goats were travelling from a high-risk Foot and Mouth disease area of Karombo Village under Chief Chireya, Gokwe. The goats had Police clearance only and no veterinary movement permit. Mr Masiya MUleyatinga, therefore, contravened the Provisions of Animal Health (Movement of animals) Regulation of 1984.
Now, therefore, under and by virtue of powers vested in the Director of Veterinary Services by Section 7, Subsection (3) paragraph (a) of the Animal Health Art (Chapter 19:01) and as read with Section 7, subsection (2) paragraph (a) and (b) of the said Act, the Director orders the destruction of the eighty-one (81) goats and safe disposal of the carcasses. The Provincial Veterinary Officer for Mash West Province or his representative is hereby ordered to destroy the eighty-one (81) goats and ensure safe disposal of carcasses. The destruction and disposal must be witnessed by Police details.
</blockquote>
In March this year, the Veterinary Services Department <a href="https://zero.pindula.co.zw/veterinary-services-department-speaks-on-12-cattle-from-gokwe-north-that-were-shot/">gunned down a herd of 12 cattle</a> after crossing a foot and mouth red zone from Gokwe North to Sanyati.
Speaking in an <a href="https://news.pindula.co.zw/2021/07/13/veterinary-officers-speak-on-death-of-cattle-in-zvimba/">earlier interview with Pindula News</a> back then, Dr Moregood Spargo, district veterinary officer for Zvimba district, said:
<blockquote>
FMD (Foot and Mouth Disease) red zones are areas adjacent to national parks. In national parks, there are buffalos which happen to be reservoirs of the virus. There is Chirisa National Park in Gokwe North so there is a possibility that cattle in that area are interacting with buffaloes. Therefore, allowing them to move to other parts of the country increase chances of having the FMD spreading. It’s possible that the cattle killed did not have the FMD but without vetting we could not know that’s why they were killed.
</blockquote>
The symptoms of foot and mouths are wounds on the mouth and hooves. Spargo added that it is rare for grownup livestock to die and they usually heal within two weeks.
<h2><a href="https://zero.pindula.co.zw/">Pindula News</a></h2>

Pindula News

Veterinary Department Orders Destruction Of 81 Goats Intercepted At A Roadblock

The shortage of vaccines is hindering the fight against a foot and mouth disease (FMD) outbreak in Mashonaland Central and Mashonaland East provinces, an official has revealed.
An official from the Veterinary Services Department, Reverend Spargo, on Tuesday, told a livestock business forum in Bulawayo that they are now importing vaccines from Botswana to augment local supplies. He said:
<blockquote>
We have limited availability of vaccines to contain the outbreak, and we import vaccines from Botswana.
We are doing surveillance in the affected areas through weekly cattle inspections, as well as mounting static and roving veterinary checkpoints to ensure compliance with livestock movement restrictions.
</blockquote>
FMD has killed 87 cattle and four goats this year alone after they were illegally moved.
Spargo added that about 80% of foot and mouth disease outbreaks are caused by the illegal movement of livestock.
He added that the other factors are the transboundary cattle and buffalo interactions. | <a href="https://www.newsday.co.zw/local-news/article/200001940/drug-shortage-stalls-fmd-fight">NewsDay</a>

Vaccine Shortage Hinders FMD Fight

The Veterinary Services Department this Saturday gunned down a herd of 12 cattle after crossing a foot and mouth red zone from Gokwe North to Sanyati.
The killing of the cattle follows the issuing of a destruction order in accordance with the law as a way of preventing the spread of foot and mouth disease in the area.
The cattle had crossed into Sanyati from Gokwe North, designated as a foot and mouth red zone, an area dominated by buffaloes.
Mashonaland West provincial veterinary services director, Dr Thokozani Mswela confirmed the development, saying the move was necessitated by the need to control the spread of the contagious foot and mouth disease.
In an interview with Pindula News, a veterinary official who spoke on condition of anonymity as he does not have authority to comment on the matter said the owners of the cattle drove them from Gokwe to Sanyati without the required documentation.
He added that when they realised that they had been seen, they drove the cattle back to Hokwe North prompting Vet officials to pursue and kill the livestock. He explained what red zones are:
<blockquote>
FMD (Foot and Mouth Disease) red zones are areas adjacent to national parks. In national parks, there are buffalos which happen to be reservoirs of the virus. There is Chirisa National Park in Gokwe North so there is a possibility that cattle in that area are interacting with buffaloes. Therefore, allowing them to move to other parts of the country increase chances of having the FMD spreading. It’s possible that the cattle killed did not have the FMD but without vetting we could not know that’s why they were killed.
</blockquote>
He added that the symptoms of foot and mouths are wounds on the mouth and hooves. The official added that it is rare for grownup livestock to die and they usually heal within two weeks.
The disease, however, affects farmers that use the livestock for draught power and at the national level, the country loses export markets as beef consumers often blacklist beef from countries that have outbreaks of the FMD. 
He urged farmers to contact Veterinary officers within 24 hours of noticing the symptoms. The vet officers will then put that area under quarantine to curb the spread of the FMD. Usually, they inject cattle within the ten or twenty-kilometre radius with a vaccine for the prevention of FMD.
<h2>More: <a href="https://news.pindula.co.zw/">Pindula News</a></h2>

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