Compensation for restored cattle in doubt

Government embarked on a restocking exercise last year to replace cattle that were killed during the Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD) control exercise. About 500 of the restocked cattle have died from what is believed to be natural causes.

Addressing farmers during a Kgotla meeting last week, Letshwenyo said some of the cattle died in quarantines while others went astray as a result of negligence by farmers. Letshwenyo said their investigations revealed that many restocked cattle succumbed to drought and associated factors. Some failed to adapt to a new environment while others died from diseases such as pasteurella and heartwater. “Some cattle were transported to Zone 7 from as far away as Ghanzi, hence fatigue as a result of excessive travel affected their immunity,” Letshwenyo explained.