MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Argentina recovers free of FMD status along the “border belt”

The sanitary condition of Mercosur cattle has improved considerably

Argentina recovered the status of free of foot and mouth disease with vaccination in the “high vigilance” area along the so called “border belt” which limits with Bolivia, Brazil and Paraguay.

As was advanced in neighbouring Paraguay, the notification became effective February 4 and was officially confirmed in a letter sent by the World for Animal Health Organization, OIE Director General Bernard Vallat to Argentina’s head of the National Animal Health and Food Quality Service, Senasa, Jorge Amaya.

However the notification indicates the border belt must remain isolated from the rest of the free of FMD with vaccination cattle, which implies the implementation of different disease control and vigilance activities.

The recovery of the free of FMD status also includes the high vigilance areas in Bolivia, Brazil and Paraguay, since the original presentation before OIE was done jointly in the framework of the Southern Cone Standing Veterinary Committee, CVP which covers the sanitary services of those countries as well as Argentina and Uruguay.

The notification indicates that the decision was adopted by the OIE Scientific Commission following its February 1 to 4 meeting when it accepted the recommendation from the ad hoc group referred to the mentioned area, formalized in 2007, since it abides “with conditions to consider it free of FMD with vaccination” in conformity with article 859 of the OIE Terrestrial Code referred to the recovery of the free of a disease status.

Finally OIE points out that the restitution of the free of FMD with vaccination in the high vigilance belt of Argentina becomes effective February 4.

In related news, the Paraguayan Rural Association estimated that the recovery of the free of FMD with vaccination status means an immediate asset revaluation of approximately 52 million US dollars.

It is estimated that the per head value of the cattle that was limited to the high vigilance area now is 40 US dollars dearer. The freed area involves 1.2 million head of cattle belonging to an estimated 10.000 farmers.

Nevertheless in the “liberated” area cattle will continue be earmarked with a special caravan identification and geo-position tracked.