Drought exacerbates hoof and mouth outbreak among cattle
A vaccine campaign has been launched in response to an outbreak of hoof and mouth disease exacerbated by drought conditions in Kampong Thom province, officials said yesterday, as drought-relief efforts continued in Banteay Meanchey.
Chan Panhavoan, director of the veterinary office of the Kampong Thom provincial agriculture department, said yesterday the highly contagious virus had spread among the cattle and buffalo in mid-March, and was brought on by the high temperatures that have dried up lakes, rivers and ponds.
The scarcity of water sources increases contact between livestock susceptible to the disease and animals carrying the virus, leading to outbreaks.
