Botswana suspends movement of cloven hoof animals over suspected foot and mouth disease

Cattle are seen in Kweneng District, Botswana, July 27, 2022. Botswana has suspended the movement of cloven hoof animals in the country over suspected foot and mouth disease cases, the country's Ministry of Agricultural Development and Food Security said Wednesday. (Photo by Tshekiso Tebalo/Xinhua)

GABORONE, Aug. 25 (Xinhua) -- Botswana has suspended the movement of cloven hoof animals in the country over suspected foot and mouth disease cases, the country's Ministry of Agricultural Development and Food Security said Wednesday.

"Farmers and stakeholders are informed that a movement standstill for all cloven hoof animals (cattle, sheep, goats, pigs, antelope etc.) has been imposed due to suspected foot and mouth disease cases in the Disease Control Zone 6b (North East District)," Kefentse Motshegwa, acting director of the ministry's Department of Veterinary Services, said in a press release.

Slaughter of cattle within the country and exports of cloven hoof animals, beef, fresh meat and raw animal products have also been halted, Motshegwa said.

The restriction will be lifted once the disease investigation is concluded, Motshegwa added.

Botswana's announcement followed a similar step by neighboring South Africa, which on Aug. 16 banned cattle in the country from being moved from one property to the other after reporting more than 100 cases of foot and mouth disease over the past few weeks.