Over 80,000 cattle to miss FMD vaccination in Bududa

Bududa, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Majority of the cows in Bududa district will miss out on the Foot and Mouth Disease vaccination.

The District Production Officer Dr. Felix Odong says they have only received 5000 doses from the Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries Ministry yet the district has more than 80,000 cattle.

He says although their plan was to conduct mass vaccination on all animals in the district, the vaccines are insufficient to cater for all animals in the district.

John Vicente Okoth, the Bududa District Veterinary Officer said they will commence the vaccination exercise in Nalwanza sub county which has registered majority of the cases of the Foot and Mouth Disease so that the quarantine can be lifted in the shortest time possible.

He says farmers are expected to bring their animals to designated points where they will deploy vaccination teams. Moses Siisa, the Bumayoka sub county LC III chairperson says vaccination of a few animals may not address the problem.

Michael Wanambwa, a farmer has hailed government for procuring the vaccines for the district but wondered why the district always receives insufficient doses of vaccines. Benah Kimono, another farmer says this is not the first time they are receiving less vaccines in the district.

She cites 2017 when they again received less vaccines when the same disease broke out saying her animals missed vaccination.

Bududa announced livestock quarantine on August 30th, 2019 when the Foot and mouth disease was reported in Nalwanza, Bukigai, Bududa, Bulucheke and Bubiita sub counties.

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