Farmer denies access to infected livestock

VETERINARY officials have been denied access to brucellosis-infected livestock on the quarantined Farm Bethal in the Hardap Region since the infectious disease was detected among livestock in February.

According to reports, the owner of the farm has refused that veterinary officials conduct further tests for the disease on his animals. When approached yesterday, a State veterinarian based at Mariental, Dr Kudakwashe Magwedere, did not want to comment on possible action to be taken against the farmer, but said the export of animals from the farm has been severely restricted.A source at the Mariental Veterinary Office yesterday said the farmer has on several occasions denied veterinarian officials access to his farm. ‘He has virtually chased away the officials,’ the source said. According to the source, a Chief Veterinarian will soon instruct the Mariental office on the course of action to be taken against the farmer. The source said there were indications that the disease was widespread on the farm, adding that seven animals, out of 31, have already tested positive for brucellosis, while more than 500 animals remain untested. At the time the outbreak was reported in February, five people had contracted the contagious disease known as Malta fever.Since then, 13 farms in the Maltahöhe district have been targeted for testing, with the results still pending. Brucellosis is usually found in cattle and other hoofed animals and causes sterility in males and induces abortions in females. Humans become infected by drinking unpasteurised milk or handling the hides of infected animals.