Sironko pleads for more FMD vaccines

Sironko, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT  |  Sironko district is seeking more vaccines to vaccinate more cattle against Foot and Mouth Disease-FMD after using up the 500 doses supplied by the Ministry of Agricultural, Animal Industry and Fisheries-MAAIF.

The District Veterinary Officer, John Wanzala, says FMD broke out in the district in December last year and claimed over 5000 animals. According to Wanzala, the Sironko District Production Department wrote to MAAIF requesting 10,000 doses of vaccines to contain the spread of the disease.

He says that the ministry responded in March and gave them only 500 of the required 10,000 doses. According to Wanzala, they have only managed to vaccinate animals in five sub-counties.

John Gutaka and Moses Malomo, both farmers from Budadiri town council have urged the government to expedite the delivery of more vaccines such that they protect their animals against FMD, a severe, highly contagious viral disease of livestock that has a significant economic impact.

The disease affects cattle, swine, sheep, goats and other cloven-hoofed ruminants. Intensively reared animals are more susceptible to the disease than traditional breeds. The disease is rarely fatal in adult animals, but there is often high mortality in young animals.

An infected animal presents with high temperature, sticky, foamy and stingy saliva, loss of appetite, abortion and low milk production among others.

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