The Meatco mobile abattoir truck has arrived at Rundu in the Kavango East region. The slaughter unit will be moved to the Angelina Matumbo Rebebe Quarantine camp, before starting operations. Livestock farmers in the region are excited, saying they could not market their animals for the past three years. Meatco's Livestock Procurement Officer for the Kavango regions says up to 1 500 cattle are expected to be slaughtered from next week. Thimoteus Kativa notes the opportunity will be given to 29 farmers to sell their cattle at the mobile abattoir, where others can express interest to also market their animals. The truck was manufactured in the United States at a cost of 4-million dollars to provide a convenient animal marketing platform to farmers in area, which is prone to Foot-and-Mouth Disease (FMD). Kativa points out that cattle will not need to be quarantined before slaughter, as the meat is for the local market only. Animal marketing in the Nothern Communal Areas is subjected to moratoriums due to sporadic FMD outbreaks, which will make the slaughter unit cost effective as it will not shut down during outbreaks of the disease. The Agriculture Ministry is also rebuilding the Rundu abattoir which was closed more than three years ago.