MZIMBA-(MaraviPost)-Cattle farmers in the Northern Region district of Mzimba have expressed serious concerns with the continued deaths of the livestock from Foot and Mouth Disease despite vaccination administered on the animals mid last year.
Confirming the omen, Board Chairperson for Farmers Union of Malawi (FUM) for the Northern Region, Albert Nyirongo, said over 300 herds of cattle around Euthini Extension Planning Area (EPA) have died since December last year.
“As I am talking the situation is very bad. A lot of cattles are just dying. About 300 herds of cattle have already died. That’s from Euthini EPA and from Mbalachanda EPA, about 200 herds of cattle have also died since last year. Government has vaccinated the animals but the situation doesn’t change,” Nyirongo said.
However, Mzuzu Agriculture Development Division (ADD) acting Chief Animal Health and Livestock Development Officer, Wellington Munthali, said his office has not yet received any information, regarding the same, from his officers working in different areas in the district.
Meanwhile, farmers in the border district with Zambia, are calling upon relevant authorities to come to their rescue lest they lose all their cattle.
Foot and Mouth Disease is a infection that is caused by a virus that attacks livestock such as cattle, goats, pigs and sheep.
Last year, the Government of Malawi, through the Ministry of Agriculture, Irrigation and Water Development, banned the sale meat products in the north because of widespread attack of animals by the disease.
