Agriculture
Take precautions against Rift Valley Fever─── 09:39 Mon, 20 Feb 2017
Bloemfontein - The Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries is urging all livestock owners to ensure that their animals are vaccinated against Rift Valley Fever.
The directorate for animal health at the department said in a statement Rift Valley Fever is a viral disease spread by mosquitos. It can cause abortions and deaths in cattle, sheep and goats. It is also a zoonotic disease, meaning humans can also become infected.
The department says the good rains will result in an increase in mosquitos that could transmit the disease.
Livestock owners are urged to vaccinate with relevant registered vaccines.
The department states that pregnant animals should only be vaccinated with the Onderstepoort Biological Products (OBP) inactivated vaccine or OBP Clone 13 vaccine. Animals that are not pregnant can be vaccinated with either the OBP live RVF vaccine or the OBP Clone 13 vaccine.
Source: Statement
