Uganda: Kampala FMD quarantine to shield urban dairy farmers, according to the ministry

The permanent secretary in the Ministry of Agriculture Animal Industry and Fisheries, Maj. Gen. David Kasura-Kyomukama, has explained that the quarantine that was extended to Kampala district, following the discovery of foot and mouth disease (FMD) on one of the farms in Kabowa, was to protect other farmers that are into zero grazing.He explained that most farmers in urban centres who practice zero grazing for mainly dairy production have invested in improved cattle dairy breeds, which can easily be wiped out by FMD.“People who own Friesians in urban areas produce about 250 litres of milk per day from a zero grazing unit which they supply in urban centres so they are getting high blood pressure upon the mention of FMD.Because FMD kills more improved cattle breeds compared to the African cow, and the cost of importing and maintaining an improved breed to the time of producing milk is high, so forgive us for trying to protect those people who have high-grade cows here in Kampala,” ...