Buffalo Linked With Foot and Mouth Outbreak

Wildlife populations have impacted on cattle health once more in Zimbabwe where the Division of Veterinary Field Services has reported 404 cases of foot and mouth disease in the Masvingo region.

A game conservancy farm has been linked to the disease event with the source of the outbreak believed to be a herd of escaped buffalo.

The outbreaks, in herds of cattle, are focused on three villages in the south east of the Chiredzi district; Levanga, Gudo and Masapasi, according to the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE). All infected farms are close to the conservancy range.

No animals have been destroyed but the latest reports say that several quarantine and cattle movement measures have been put in place.

Other official notifications from the OIE this week have included the confirmation of Costa Rica as a nation with ‘controlled risk’ status for bovine spongiform encephalopathy.

This is in recognition of the country’s ability to prevent the disease and implement control measures through the production chain, which comes as great news to the sector.

"This is a major achievement, especially for an industry such as livestock, which is strategic for being a provider of basic food, its links to other business sectors, employment and export earnings,” said Minister Gloria Abraham Peralta.

The decision is deemed warranted after the considerable efforts of SENASA, the national animal health service and the efforts of ranches and private businesses since 2011.

“Costa Rican beef consumption is safe because the causal agent of this disease is not present in domestic herds," announced Minister Peralta.

Feedlot figures for June across the United States are at their lowest for any June since 2010, according to the USDA 'Cattle on Feed' report.

Placements are down 3.5 per cent on June last year, which the USDA has confirmed means this month is the tenth consecutive month where the cattle on feed figure has been below year ago placements.

But the picture is not one of total decline. Cattle are weighing in heavier and the number of cattle placed on feed weighing less than 600 pounds was down by one quarter.

Placements weighing between 700 to 800 pounds were up 4.7 per cent and overall weight of cattle on feed was up 3.2 per cent on May 2012.