The Department of Veterinary Services wishes to inform the farming community and the general public of the following changes in the livestock movement protocol with effect from the 21st March 2011:
For purposes of beef export to the EU, Botswana has been divided into four territories. These are: BW1, BW2, BW3 and BW4. BW1 comprises disease control zones 3c,4b,5,6,8,9,10. BW2 comprises disease control zones 11 and 13, BW 3 is disease control zone 12 and BW4 is disease control zone 4a.
The changes introduced to enhance traceability are as follows:
- Cattle movement permits will only be issued six weeks after bolus insertion. This nullifies the previous arrangement where permits were issued after three days;
- Cattle should have been resident for a minimum of 40 days in a farm /cattle post before the permit is issued;
- Cattle should have been resident for a minimum of 90 days in a territory before a permit is issued;
- In case of a direct movement to the export abattoirs from the territory of birth, the 90 day requirement will not apply;
- Farmers are required to complete a declaration form attesting that cattle have been resident for 40 days in their farm /cattle post or 90 days in a territory;
- Farmers are required to record and report new livestock arrivals to the nearest veterinary officials;
- Farmers are required to utilize centralized loading facilities (CLFs) where these have been established;
- The CLFs currently in operation are Molepolole, Francistown, Lokalane (Ghanzi), Dibete, Lephephe, Serule and Thalamabele;
- Where there are CLFs permits will NOT be issued at the farms /cattle posts;
- All cattle going to export abattoirs should be trucked and NOT trekked;
- Farmers should check insertion status of their cattle before movement to centralized permit issuing facility;
- Farmers can purchase hand-held readers at LACs to check boluses in their animals;
- Famers are required to keep records on the farms /cattle posts of treatments with veterinary medicines;
- Cattle movement for slaughter before elapse of the withdrawal period for drugs administered is prohibited;
This new protocol is an endeavour to improve service delivery and comply with traceability requirements.