Rwanda Agriculture and Animal Resources Board (RAB) has imposed a livestock quarantine in Nyagatare, particularly in Tabagwe sector, following an outbreak of foot and mouth disease.

According to RAB, the quarantine is aimed at preventing the spread of the disease to other areas and protecting the livestock population across the country.

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Officials at RAB also say they are working to contain and eradicate the disease in the affected area.

"So far, 118 cases have been reported. The animals that test positive are removed from the farm immediately," Dr. Solange Uwituze, the Deputy Director-General in charge of Animal Resources at RAB said.

Farmers in Tabagwe are urged to report any suspected cases of the disease to veterinary officers at sector level to ensure timely intervention and control of the situation, as well as keep the livestock in kraals and farm yards, and occasionally dip their animals.

Local leaders, security institutions, farmers, and other concerned institutions have been urged to increase efforts in enforcing the guidelines in place in order to prevent the spread of the disease.

In an interview with The New Times, Didas Habineza, a farmer in Gitengure Cell, Tabagwe Sector, shared a story of how he found out that his animals had been hit by the disease.

"On May 23, four of my cows lost appetite and developed unusual lesions on the tongue. They also seemed very weak. When I contacted the sector veterinary, they found out that the livestock had foot and mouth disease," he said.

The next day, all the 66 cows and 17 calves he had on the farm were sold to prevent the spread of the disease to other livestock in the area.

" I got Rwf15.4 million. It was a very reduced price. All of them were regarded as sick animals regardless of their health," he said.

While some are cautious about the spread of the disease to their farms, those with infected animals are grappling with reduced prices for their livestock, stating that the stigma of sickness is affecting their ability to sell at a fair market value, which has affected their livelihoods.

Biosecurity measures at the entrance of farms are visible in the area, with foot baths and disinfectant stations set up to prevent the spread of diseases like foot and mouth.

80-year-old Magaret Nyirandege has no hope of rearing again after her cow, donated to her through the "Girinka Program," was infected with foot and mouth disease and sold at a reduced price. She advises livestock owners to adhere to prevention guidelines because prevention is key to protecting their animals.

"It was a big cow with a calf; people had wanted to buy it before, offering me Rwf 800,000, but after it got infected, the district officials and RAB sold it for Rwf 300,000. I will be surviving on this money until the quarantine in our area is over, but I am not sure if I will have the balance to buy a new cow. It is challenging for an old person like me to live without milk for myself."

RAB has set guidelines to prevent foot and mouth disease in Tabagwe, and these include not allowing the movement of animals from unknown areas or those not tested, not allowing animals to graze, and putting them in zero grazing for those who had huge farmlands.

Strictly vaccinate periodically and stamp out infected animals; rearing, slaughter, trade, milk, and distribution of manure fertilisers are prohibited, leaving residents in Tabagwe with limited options for their livelihoods.

Attempts to reach local authorities in Nyagatare about comments failed.

However, Nyagatare District Mayor Stephen Gasana told the media on June 12 that: "reduced prices for the cows were caused, for instance, by the reduction of the weight of the cows due to foot and mouth disease because they cannot graze."

Dr. Uwituze reminded authorities that the owner negotiates with a cattle trader to sell it without any intervention of government authorities.

Signs and symptoms of foot and mouth disease

The incubation period for FMD virus has a range between one and 12 days. The disease is characterized by a high fever that declines rapidly after two to three days, blisters inside the mouth that lead to excessive secretion of stringy or foamy saliva and to drooling, and blisters on the feet that may rupture and cause lameness.

Adult animals may suffer weight loss from which they do not recover for several months, as well as swelling in the testicles of mature males, and cows&039; milk production can decline significantly.

Though most animals eventually recover from FMD, the disease can lead to myocarditis (inflammation of the heart muscle) and death, especially in new-born animals.

Some infected ruminants remain asymptomatic carriers, but they nonetheless carry the virus and may be able to transmit it to others.