The Assistant Minister of Agriculture, Oreeditse Molebatsi,┬áconfirmed the latest outbreak of the beef barons’ dreaded foot and mouth disease in the Matsiloje area on Monday.
 Molebatsi said at least 300 cattle have been diagnosed with the disease out of a total herd of 10 000 in the area.
The assistant minister said that a group of veterinary doctors were dispatched to the area over the weekend on suspicion of the outbreak.
“Movement of cattle and imports of animal related┬áproducts from neighbouring Zimbabwe are immediately prohibited until further notice,” Molebatsi said on Monday.
The Minister said government is monitoring the situation.
Botswana’s beef industry has been undergoing uncertainty following stringent measures imposed by the country’s largest consumer of its beef, the European Union. The government has made assurances that it is looking elsewhere┬áto market┬áher beef, including China, in order to mitigate the impact.
