Theileriosis outbreak illustrates need for farmers to diversify

LAST week we discussed the issue of some abattoirs and certain big chain supermarkets alleged to be cashing in on desperate farmers who are selling sick animals for a song.

This week we wish to pursue it a little further albeit from a different angle as it relates to the devastating effect of Theileriosis (January disease). I have been to the areas in this country which are hard hit by this disease like in some parts of Manicaland especially around Buhera District and some areas in Mashonaland East.

What strikes you in those areas is the number of empty kraals that no longer house any animals because the whole herd was wiped out. Consequently, you also find vast expanses of grazing lands that have no single animal grazing. A casual discussion with some community members reveals serious pains of loss and almost a resentment of beef production enterprise.

It is common to find a farmer bemoaning the loss of investment from his 25 head of cattle which was wiped out by Theileriosis.

One thing which is clearly illustrated by this unfortunate predicament which the farmers found themselves in, is the need to diversify investment regarding agricultural enterprises that farmers partake in.

While are advantages and disadvantages for either specialising or diversifying production units one can argue that if these farmers had diversified the forms of livestock they are rearing, they could have cut their losses and found a fall back in breeds that are not affected by this particular disease.

A quick example is small stock production which these livestock farmers and others for that matter could integrate into their production systems.

It has been clearly demonstrated that small stock production has become a good business and a lot of smallholder livestock farmers are actually surviving on.

I, therefore, call for livestock farmers to at least run two species of livestock on their farms.

This will no doubt act as an insurance policy when such disasters strike.

It is a very painful thing for someone to lose all his/ her investment which he/ she was hoping to be the retirement package that will keep the family going.

It is no secret that most Zimbabweans invest in livestock as their retirement policy because all other social protection systems are not functioning properly as a result of challenges in the economy.

Now imagine that this farmer had his 30 head and he was hoping for it to help him take his kids through high school and tertiary education, and

there the whole herd is cleaned out by a disease.

A previously secure family can become vulnerable and desperate overnight.

I know that as livestock practitioners we can advance compelling arguments of disease prevention and management on the part of the farmer but we also know that when there is an outbreak no one is safe, even those that have been observing a good level of animal health management practices.

The same argument of diversifying investment at the farm applies to farmers in my region, Matabeleland. We tend to lose a lot of animals almost every year due to recurrent droughts and shrinking grazing lands.

However, we have presented it before in this very platform and we present it again today, that livestock farmers in this region need to consider integrating a significant portion of small stock into their herds. I am talking here of decent numbers of either goats or sheep not just a few which are kept for slaughter for special occasions.

It has been proven that small stock is more tolerant to drought conditions because of its ability to graze and browse in significant portions.

Also, small stock do not need large volumes of drinking water like cattle do hence in times of poor availability of drinking water, they are easier to manage even by way of carting water from far places.

This year is one such year when farmers will be called out to cart water from far dams to their animals. It is clear that in some areas we received enough precipitation just to grow the grass significantly but not to fill our water bodies. Water will turn out to be the major headache for farmers this year more than grazing.

Uyabonga umntakaMakhumalo.

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