Raw meat movement remains restricted in //Kharas

Restrictions on the movement of raw meat and animal products within the //Kharas region remain in place as authorities continue efforts to contain the foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) outbreak.

Ministry of Agriculture Chief Veterinarian Kenneth Shoombe said, in an update on Saturday, that raw meat and animal products from butcheries, abattoirs, slaughterhouses, informal slaughter slabs, and cold storage facilities within the region remain restricted.

However, retailers in //Kharas may sell meat for personal consumption, provided proof of purchase is presented.

He said people may also bring raw meat and animal products from registered facilities outside the region into //Kharas for retail or personal consumption, provided they have valid documentation.

The movement of certain processed products, including commercially cooked meat,
biltong, droëwors and pasteurised milk from registered facilities, remains permitted countrywide, he added.

Shoombe further said that animals held in registered feedlots or quarantine facilities south of the Veterinary Cordon Fence, excluding //Kharas, may be moved directly to registered abattoirs under a livestock movement permit, provided biosecurity, traceability and testing requirements are
met.

“Slaughtering livestock at
farms or homesteads for commercial sale remains prohibited until further notice. Home slaughter is permitted only if the meat is not moved from the premises,” he noted.

Shoombe urged members of the public to report suspected FMD symptoms to the nearest State Veterinary Office.

The disease is characterised by sores, blisters and wounds in the mouth and between animals’ hooves. Infected animals may also be reluctant to move, salivate excessively and lose body condition, he concluded.

-Nampa

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