Sembabule leaders impose two-week cattle quarantine

Authorities in Sembabule District have slapped a fresh cattle quarantine on the district as foot-and–mouth disease (FMD) continues to spread in the area.

Authorities have also slapped a ban on sale of all cattle products such as ghee, butter and milk, and yoghurt. 
Veterinary officers had lifted the quarantine early this year following the containment of the disease.

Mr Malik Mahabba , the chief administrative officer, said the temporary closure of livestock markets follows reports of multiple pockets of FMD in Lwebitakuli, Mijwala, Mitima sub-counties and Ntuusi Town Council.

FMD is an infectious and sometimes fatal viral disease that affects cloven-hoofed or divided hooves animals.
Mr Mahabba said veterinary teams are currently conducting ring vaccination in the affected sub-counties.

He directed the district officials to implement the ban.

“The purpose of this letter, therefore, is to inform you about the outbreak and instruct you to observe and implement the aforementioned resolutions, accordingly, please take this matter with the seriousness it deserves as we bring our efforts together to arrest the situation,”  Mr Mahabba said in a December 11 letter.

The Resident District Commissioner, Ms Jane Frances Kagayi, said they had already secured 13,000 doses to vaccinate cattle, but added that they are not enough.

"We appeal to the Ministry of Agriculture to provide more vaccines to help our  farmers fight against this disease,” she said. The authorities, however, allowed farmers and cattle dealers to conduct on-farm loading under strict supervision of veterinary staff and security personnel.

The decision to close cattle markets has, however, drawn mixed reactions from farmers, saying it will greatly affect them during this festive season.

Mr Edward Mwase, a cattle keeper and a dealer in Lwebitakuli Sub-county, said allowing on-farm loading may worsen the situation.

“A total ban would have been enforced in these two weeks as the authorities assess the situation,” he said.
However, Mr Fred Musinguzi another cattle dealer, said the quarantine was rushed since some farms have not yet reported any FMD case, adding that the ban would have been imposed on only affected areas.

“We are going to be affected since we are already in the festive season when we expect to make some money. The on-farm loading may also not help since some farmers and dealers may be sidelined during this arrangement” he said.

He asked authorities to expedite the process of ring vaccination so that they can lift the ban.
Mr Steven Kamya, a farmer in Mabindo Sub-county, tasked the government to find a lasting solution to FMD.

“Every year we are put in quarantine. Why doesn’t government use the scientists we have to get rid of FMD once and for all? ” Mr Kamya asked .

Situation in neighbouring areas
More than 20 animals are reported to have succumbed to FMD in the district in the last couple of weeks. A similar quarantine has already been enforced in neighbouring Lyantonde and Kyotera districts where livestock farmers are battling FMD and anthrax, respectively.

Sembabule is among the cattle corridor districts that have suffered rampant outbreak of FMD since 2018.