Zimbabwe: Farmers must comply with the Department of Veterinary Services (DVS) livestock movement

Frozen Bone-In Beef

Zimbabwe

Published May 31, 2022

Tridge summary

Acting Features Editor The Department of Veterinary Services (DVS) recently slaughtered and burnt 28 herd of cattle that were illegally moved from a Theileriosis quarantine in Insiza. The destruction of the cattle was meant to curb the spread of Theileriosis disease popularly known as January disease. The cattle had no Veterinary Movement Permit. The farmer had contravened the provisions of Animal Health (Movement of Cattle and Pigs) Regulations, 1984.

Original content

This is not the first incident whereby the DVS has shot and burnt cattle for illegal movement. Either the cattle would have been illegally moved from a quarantine or a Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD) red zone among other reasons. Illegal animal movements are the single most important driver of transmission of animal diseases from one area to the next, with the most dreaded being FMD and January Disease. The aim is to maintain an FMD-free status in provinces, which have potential to resume exports. If farmers and traders illegally move animals, that is, moving cattle, pigs, goats, sheep and wildlife without permits from the DVS, the animals will be destroyed and the owners prosecuted, fined or jailed. There is no compensation paid to the farmer. It is disturbing that farmers continued contravening the provisions for animal health and in the process spreading notifiable diseases. This has negatively impacted on the livestock industry. According to the Second and Final Crop and ...

Source: All Africa