A strange disease has hit herds of cattle at Dedenu, a suburb of Yorkitikpo and its environs in the South Tongu District of the Volta Region.
The disease called “suffer” by the cattle owners due to the enormous pain it inflicts on the animals has so far killed over 30 cows within 10 days.
The disease begins with swollen and bleeding hooves and later metamorphoses into dark spots on the animal leading to the swelling of the joints and tongue making the animal unable to feed and or drink water resulting in rapid weight loss.
The animal after few days starts dripping saliva from the mouth and nostrils and unable to move long distances.
When the Ghanaian Times visited the area on Wednesday some of the dead animals were still in the bush while those too weak to move or feed have visible signs of the disease as they have become very lean.
The seriously affected ones could be seen limping with their bleeding hooves and slime dripping from the mouth.
The community has more than 30 kraals with over 3000 cattle feeding within the same area and drinking from one water source.
Fifteen of the cattle owners told the Ghanaian Times that the disease has caused so much pain for the past seven years as it affects the animals twice or thrice in a year.
According to them, they spend between three to four thousand Ghana Cedis quarterly in treating the animals to no avail.
They indicated that veterinary officers who took blood samples of the animals two years ago are yet to tell the exact cause of the disease and how it could be eradicated.
Mr William Adeti who owns about 200 cattle said they regularly vaccinate the animals yet the disease kept recurring as such do not know what to do now.
Officials at the district agricultural directorate who have already prepared their annual report said they have not been informed of the outbreak of any cattle disease in the area.
The District Director of Veterinary Services, Dr Jehadi Osei- Bonsu said his outfit have not been informed and would personally visit the area to investigate the cause of the disease.
FROM LAWRENCE VOMAFA AKPALU, Dedenu