Staff Reporter
THE Ministry of Agriculture’s Directorate of Veterinary Services (DVS) has confirmed that the movement of dried or cooked meat of cloven-hoofed animals is permitted into the Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD) free zone without the need for a veterinary permit.
“The Directorate of Veterinary Services (DVS) hereby informs the general public that movement of dried meat of cloven-hoofed animals [e.g. cattle, sheep, goats, pigs, some wild animals) into the Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD) free zone is allowed, without a veterinary permit, provided that all portions of the meat is cooked and free of blood. It is advised to boil the meat. However, raw meat that is not produced under Commodity Based Trade [CBT] is not allowed since the FMD virus survives in animals’ tissues, including lymph nodes and bone marrow and after freezing,” the Acting Chief Veterinary Officer, Dr Johannes Shoopala, said.
He further explained that raw meat from cloven-hoofed animals may be transported into the FMD free zone if it originates from export-approved abattoirs, meets the requirements of CBT, and is accompanied by a veterinary health certificate confirming compliance with the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH) Terrestrial Animal Health Code.
“Non-cloven-hoofed animals (e.g. chicken, donkeys, horses, fish and their products) may move into the FMD Free zone. Plants and plant products may also move into the FMD Free zone, provided they are free from cloven hoofed animals’ manure. Unregistered cloven—hoofed animal feeds may only move into the FMD free zone with a veterinary permit,” Shoopala continued.
He emphasised that these measures are consistent with the WOAH Terrestrial Code.
“FMD is one of the diseases for which the World Organization for Animal Health (WOAH) has a procedure for official recognition of disease-free areas within a country or at national level, that necessitated the presence of the infrastructure/barriers such as Veterinary Fences, veterinary gates, designated entry and exit points,” Shoopala said.
Picture for illustrative purposes only. Photo: Pixabay
