Fiji cattle TB prevalence below 1 per cent

Tuberculosis (TB) cases among cattle nationwide are below one per cent, reflecting what the Ministry of Agriculture says is an effective disease-control programme.

Minister for Agriculture Tomasi Tunabuna said countries with cattle TB prevalence below one per cent were able to maintain productive cattle stocks for consumption and sale.

He said Fiji was on track to manage livestock health, with the fight against TB continuing annually.

“The incident level is less than one per cent which is encouraging to note,” Mr Tunabuna said.

Containment remains the focus

Tunabuna said the long-term management of TB in cattle remained achievable, but strict controls were needed to prevent its spread.

“TB has been here in Fiji for long, we have to manage with TB with strict cattle movement,” he said.

The controls include TB testing and the removal, or culling, of infected cattle to prevent the disease spreading to healthy cattle.

Mr Tunabuna said zero prevalence was unlikely because cases would continue to arise each year.

However, he said containing the disease was possible and improving the ministry’s capacity to do so remained a priority.

Cattle and beef have a lucrative market in Fiji’s meat industry.

Minister condemns illegal slaughter

Mr Tunabuna also condemned the illegal slaughtering of cattle in closely populated residential areas.

He said people of different ethnicities lived in these areas and could be offended by slaughtering activities, and suggested butchers consider locations away from populated areas.

Mr Tunabuna encouraged beef and livestock farmers to increase their stock as the busy half of the year gets under way.

“Farmers are urged to learn the basics of signs and symptoms of TB in cattle to help with early detection,” he said.