Community in Mthatha concerned about unknown cow disease outbreak

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Highbury extension farming community outside Mthatha has raised concerns following an outbreak of an unknown cow disease. The farmers have lost 15 cows since the beginning of October.

The symptoms of the disease include cows banging their heads against objects and later collapsing. The affected cows also show signs of dehydration and shaking before collapsing.

The farmers are concerned as some people are consuming the meat, once the cattle die.

A small-scale farmer Mzwanele Dunywa explains, “If you put these cows in the kraal, they just went crazy, pushing the kraal wall. If they see a fence, they just demolish the fence but they are not violent. You can see that this disease is mentally associated. We are very worried about this and we need help from the people specialising on animal health.”