Summary:

On February 14, Botswana confirmed to the OIE a virus type SAT2 outbreak of foot and mouth disease (FMD) in cattle in the Francistown district. Botswana's last case of FMD was in 1980. The USDA does not recognize Botswana as free of FMD, therefore US importation of relevant animals and animal products does not occur. Botswana produced significantly less than one percent of world quantities of livestock or meats. The current outbreak of FMD in Botswana poses negligible risk to US livestock.

How extensive is the disease in the affected country, and what was the country’s disease status prior to the outbreak?

On February 9, Botswana reported to the OIE a suspected case of foot and mouth disease (FMD) in cattle in the Francistown district (indicated on map by the blue square). The virus was confirmed as virus type SAT2 in a February 14 report to the OIE. Botswana's last case of FMD was in 1980. The USDA does not recognize Botswana as free of FMD. The location of the outbreak is within the zone that is recognized by the OIE as FMD free without vaccination and is near the border with Zimbabwe. Zimbabwe's last reported case of FMD was in October 2001 in Matabeleland, a region that borders Botswana. Both Botswana and Zimbabwe vaccinate animals for FMD.

Source: OIE Disease Information Report; USDA-APHIS International Services attaché

What is the country’s production and trade in affected animals and animal products?

Botswana in 2001 had about 2.4 million cattle and 2.25 million goats, plus far smaller numbers of sheep and pigs. Live animal imports to Botswana, mostly cattle and sheep, occurred in 1999 and presumably in years 2000 and 2001. Live animal exports were negligible, or much less than 0.01 percent of world exports of each species.

Table 1. Botswana: Live animal stocks, and trade in live animals

Commodities shown as negligible comprised less than 0.01 percent of world production or trade.

Botswana produced much less than one percent of world quantities of beef and veal, mutton and lamb, and pigmeat. Botswanan trade in these meat products was also much less than one percent of world volume.

Table 2. Botswana: Production and trade in relevant meat products

Source: UN Food and Agriculture Organization

Botswana has maintained an OIE recognized FMD free zone without vaccination, and has exported to the European Union matured and de-boned beef from cattle in this zone (13,000 tonnes in 1998). Botswana has also exported smaller quantities of bone-in beef, primarily to South Africa.

Source: European Commission report DG(SANCO)/1089/2000

What are the US imports of affected animals or animal products from the country?

The US imported no relevant live animals from Botswana during the years 2000 or 2001 (January through November). The only relevant animal product imported from Botswana during this time period was $4000 worth of hides and skins either fresh or preserved (dried, limed, pickled, or other), but not tanned, parchment dressed, or further prepared (product code 4103900090).

Source: World Trade Atlas

What is the level of passenger traffic arriving in the United States from the affected country?

There are no direct flights from Botswana to the US. It is unknown how many passengers arrive in the US from Botswana via indirect flights. As part of APHIS-PPQ’s agriculture quarantine inspection monitoring, 3 air passengers from Botswana were sampled for items of agricultural interest in fiscal year 2000. Of these passengers, none were found to have items of agricultural interest.

Source: US Department of Transportation, and APHIS-PPQ Agricultural Quarantine Inspection data base

CEI’s plans for follow up:

As of February 15, 2002, CEI has no plans for further activity regarding FMD in Botswana. If you seek more information or wish to comment on this worksheet, please contact Vicki Bridges at (970) 490-7822 or David Cummings at (970) 490-7895.