Berea, Feb 10—The Department of Agriculture, Food Security and Nutrition in Berea has rolled out a mass vaccination campaign for sheep scab by targeting small stock farmers within various resource centres of the district.
This was said by the Acting District Agricultural Officer (DAO) Mrs. Malehloenya Mphanya during an interview with LENA on Tuesday.
Mrs. Mphanya said the sheep scab vaccination campaign which started last week is run by the Lesotho Wool and Mohair Growers Association (LWMGA), but they are working collaboratively with the district veterinary.
She said for the fact that range lands in the country are regarded to be a communal asset, they are targeting every farmer who has a flock of sheep whether being a member of the association or an independent farmer.
Acting DAO said rolling out mass vaccination campaign it is because any disease prevention, begin with timely vaccination for a long term protection, citing that any unvaccinated can act as hub for parasites and as a result sheep sharing rangelands are at high risk of spreading the disease, hence they are living no one behind.
She urged small stock farmers to bring their flock to the vaccination sites for the success of the campaign.
Apart from the sheep scab vaccination campaign, she also pointed out that they are conducting an awareness campaign about the Lumpy Skin Disease.
Acting DAO further encouraged livestock farmers to keep on regularly check on with the district veterinary or the Extension Officers whenever they witness some suspicious signs on their flock
Additionally, she urged them to continuously keep on giving their flock some medication as part of prevention measures against diseases.
The sheep scab is reported to be an allergic dermatitis caused by reaction to the faeces of the scab mite or the disease caused by mites living in sheep’s hair and it also causes an intense itching which causes the sheep to rub or scratch itself against any hard surfaces or objects.
Ends/RM/BM