Africa-Press – Botswana. One million doses of vaccine are available to be administered to an equal number of cattle, in Huila province, during the vaccination campaign taking place from March to May this year.
Compared to the same period in the previous year, there was an increase of 200,000 doses of vaccines and 96,806 head of cattle, according to the head of the provincial services department at the National Veterinary Institute in Huíla, Samo Daniel.
Speaking to ANGOP today, Monday, in Lubango, the official said that the doses of vaccine available will not be enough to immunize all cattle of improved breeds and traditional ones, depending on the statistics, as they are estimated at one million and 240 thousand heads of cattle.
He explained that these were mandatory vaccines, with emphasis on the prevention of hematic and symptomatic anthrax, foot-and-mouth disease, brucellosis, nodular dermatosis and contagious pleuropneumonia.
He said that the priority of vaccines falls to traditional breeders as they are the biggest holders, with 90 percent, of the livestock in the province, in addition to having more difficulties in acquiring doses to the detriment of business people.
He made it known that 166 technicians distributed in 30 fixed and mobile brigades will be involved in the campaign.
He recognized the economic value of cattle for the breeding communities, which is why he asked them to do everything to ensure that their animals grow up healthy and can feed the country, which still resorts to imports to put meat on Angolan dishes.
Samo Daniel appealed to municipal and communal administrations and all other entities, in their respective areas of jurisdiction, to get involved in the process, in order to allow the greatest possible number of animals to be vaccinated.
He announced for next February, the vaccination campaign for domestic animals, from dogs, monkeys and cats, with 90 thousand doses for this purpose.
Among the constraints, Samo Daniel pointed out the insufficient availability of vaccines, the deficient cold chain for their conservation, combined with the weaknesses of the access roads, as well as the transhumance of cattle and their breeders, a result of the drought, which makes coverage difficult. vaccine.
In 2022, the campaign that took place in June saw 903,194 head of cattle vaccinated (+177,678), corresponding to coverage of 72 percent, as a result of the late arrival of vaccine doses.
21,510 dogs (+10,531), 1,848 cats (+1,609) and 351 monkeys (+328) were also vaccinated, in a coverage graph of around 47 percent.
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