Performance Audit Report on the Control of F MD It is worth noting that in animal disease control, it is important to have a system  of animal traceability that not only allows for accurate identification of individual  animals, but also effectively safeguards information on health history of  individual animals (e.g. vaccination and disease history). 35 The gaps discussed above, which were identified in the traceability system used  in FMD vaccinated zones were mainly attributable to the department’s failure to  devise an accurate and reliable animal traceability and identification system in  the FMD vaccinated zones (red zones). The DVS only devised an enhanced  computerised traceability system in FMD free zones called the Livestock  Identification and Trace-Back System (LITS). This system used a reticular bolus  as a form of identifying cattle (individually) and linking the bolus number to the  owners’ information and location. This information was digitally stored in the  central database and was accessible to multiple remote users. However,  management highlighted that LITS was not rolled out in FMD vaccinated zones  due to consideration of the risks of FMD transmission inherent in the reticular  bolus insertion process. Nevertheless, no alternative computerised system was  ever devised for the FMD vaccinated zones.  As a result of absence of an accurate and reliable livestock traceability system  in the FMD vaccinated zones, the risk of late detection of FMD infections cannot  be overemphasised. Effective traceability of individual animals could have  enabled prompt implementation of preventive measures (such as surveillance  and post vaccination monitoring of individual animals) and assisted in timely  control of outbreaks, thereby delivering considerable animal welfare and  commercial benefits to the farming community in FMD vaccinated zones. The Office of the Auditor General acknowledges that, at the time of audit, the  Botswana Animal Information and Traceability System was being piloted in the  FMD free zones with plans to roll it out to the entire country. This system was  expected to bridge the gaps of the branding system used in vaccinated areas,  $^{35}$ http:faolex.fao.org/cgi-bin/faolex: EUC Regulations  41 |  P a g e