The Department of Veterinary Services wishes to update the public on the Rift Valley Fever  situation and zone 4a.

Rift Valley Fever

Following  the outbreak of Rift Valley Fever at Seribe crush in Ramotswa in June 2010, the Department undertook an extensive surveillance to establish the extent of spread of the disease. Surveillance investigations did not show presence of  the disease anywhere else except  Seribe crush in Ramotswa. This is further evidence that the disease has not spread beyond Seribe crush. However countrywide surveillance is on-going and farmers are urged to report any cases of abortion or deaths in young animals .

Emergency vaccination in response to the outbreak is complete in Ramotswa, Otse and Mogobane extension areas.  All cattle and small stock in the vaccinated areas have been vaccinated twice three weeks apart.

As the disease was confined to Seribe crush and emergency vaccination has been completed in Ramotswa extension areas, the Department has revised the control strategy as follows;

1. Vaccination in South East and Kgatleng  districts and Goodhope sub-districts is no longer compulsory but however farmers are encouraged to vaccinate their cattle  and small stock against Rift Valley Fever in these areas. Farmers who wish to vaccinate their cattle and small stock are to give the initial two vaccinations three weeks apart and thereafter every 12 months. For livestock that have already been vaccinated against Rift Valley Fever are to be given booster vaccination after 12 months from the second vaccination.
2. Movement of cattle and small stock within, out of or into Kgatleng, and South East districts and Goodhope sub district is allowed under permit without the requirement for vaccination against Rift Valley Fever.

 Zone 4a

Following the recognition of zone 4a as a Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD) free zone without vaccination in May 2010 by the World Organization for Animal Health (OIE), the Department opened negotiations with the Republic of South Africa (RSA), to consider lifting the 21 days quarantining period for cattle destined for NON-EU export. The Republic of South Africa have since accepted our request.

Therefore cattle from 4a will continue to be slaughtered at Francistown export abattoir during the NON-EU kill without quarantining, with effect from the next NOEU kill in December 2010 under the Botswana Meat Commission (BMC) quota system. Therefore farmers are expected to request for quotas from BMC Francistown for the cattle to be slaughtered during NON EU kill.

All cattle destined for slaughter at Francistown export abattoir will be loaded at strategically located loading facilities within zone 4a. The identified loading facilities will be communicated at a later stage.

Trade negotiations with the European Union (EU) for consideration of expanding the export zone to include zone 4a are on-going.

 Lesoma FMD outbreak

An outbreak of foot and mouth disease which was reported on the 3^th August 2010, is now under control, after standard control measures were put in place. The last reported case was on the 4^th September 2010. Therefore livestock (under permit) and livestock products are now allowed into and within Chobe district except from Kazungula, Lesoma, Kilo 256 and Pandamatenga. Movement of sun dried thatching  is allowed out of Chobe without a permit.