Malawi lifts ban on cattle slaughtering

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Malawi cattle ranch

Government has lifted a ban on movement and slaughter of livestock in Chikwawa.

The ban was imposed following an outbreak of foot and mouth disease in the Shire Valley in August.

According to the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, after monitoring the disease it has established that there are no new cases in the district.

The ministry also says in a statement that it has completed vaccination of cattle that was at risk.

Chikwawa is one of the major suppliers of cattle in Malawi and the announcement will come as a relief to beef sellers in the Southern Region.

The foot and mouth disease outbreak in Chikwawa is believed to have been caused by the mixing of cattle and buffaloes near Lengwe National Park especially when the buffaloes strayed out of the park and grazed with cattle.

Buffaloes  carry and transmit the foot and mouth disease virus.

The Ministry of Agriculture has since urged livestock farmers around Lengwe National Park not to allow their cattle to graze very close to the National Park.

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