Smuggled cattle raise anthrax fears

THE Ministry of Agriculture has taken blood samples from some eleven cattle suspected to have been smuggled from Botswana to the Omaheke Region.

Dr Frans Joubert, the Acting Deputy Director for Animal Disease Control, told The Namibian that the samples were taken to determine if the cattle are carrying diseases. “There is a rumour of seven more, but we have not found them yet,” said Joubert.He said the Ministry has stopped issuing livestock movement permits in some areas of the Omaheke Region, such as Otjinene, Epukiro, Eiseb Block 10 and Rietfontein.He said because there is no fence between the Omaheke and Otjozondjupa regions, movement permits have also been stopped at Otjituuo and Okakarara in Otjozondjupa.Veterinary officials fear the spread of foot-and-mouth disease from Botswana.Joubert said last week that there were also fears of anthrax in Omaheke after two goats died.The Ministry has started vaccinating goat and sheep in Omaheke.Last week, the Deputy Director for Parks and Wildlife Management in the Ministry of Environment, Sacky Namugongo, said large numbers of wild animals continue to die of anthrax in the Caprivi Region.The anthrax outbreak in eastern Caprivi is believed to have spread to Namibia from Botswana’s Chobe National Park.”There is a rumour of seven more, but we have not found them yet,” said Joubert.He said the Ministry has stopped issuing livestock movement permits in some areas of the Omaheke Region, such as Otjinene, Epukiro, Eiseb Block 10 and Rietfontein.He said because there is no fence between the Omaheke and Otjozondjupa regions, movement permits have also been stopped at Otjituuo and Okakarara in Otjozondjupa.Veterinary officials fear the spread of foot-and-mouth disease from Botswana.Joubert said last week that there were also fears of anthrax in Omaheke after two goats died.The Ministry has started vaccinating goat and sheep in Omaheke.Last week, the Deputy Director for Parks and Wildlife Management in the Ministry of Environment, Sacky Namugongo, said large numbers of wild animals continue to die of anthrax in the Caprivi Region.The anthrax outbreak in eastern Caprivi is believed to have spread to Namibia from Botswana’s Chobe National Park.