No Mad Cow nor Foot-and-Mouth case in Morocco

Morocco on Tuesday denied the existence of any mad cow or Foot-and-Mouth disease case among its livestock.

Morocco has been shielded the disease, because the country's farmers do not use flesh-colored fodder, agriculture, rural development and water and forests minister, Ismael Alaoui told the parliament.

The official also noted that the preventive measures enforced by Morocco since the early 1990's also helped avert the disease. He cited, in this connection, the ban on imports of animals from contaminated countries and of flesh-colored fodder.

Regarding Foot-and-Mouth disease, the minister said up to now 60 percent of Moroccan bovines were vaccinated against the disease. Strict measures are also enforced to avert Foot-and-Mouth, he said, adding the authorities will stay watchful to this disease.