403 cattle succumb to January disease in Midlands

OVER 403 cattle from the four districts in Midlands Province have succumbed to January disease also known as Theileriosis in the first week of the month and authorities are on the ground to ensure that the disease is put under control in all provinces.

The four districts are Chirumanzu, Mberengwa, Shurugwi and Zvishavane.

All these areas have a combined total number of dip tanks amounting to 244.

Government has so far deployed adequate chemicals to the affected areas to deal with the situation and a lot of interventions were also put in place in all provinces to fight the deadly disease including dip tank rehabilitation, production of local vaccines, dipping, introduction of Presidential tick grease among others.

Department of Veterinary Services chief director, Dr Josphat Nyika said all the 244 dip tanks in the province have been put under intensive dipping schedules.

He encourages farmers to adopt the 5-5-4 dipping regime, where a farmer is expected to dip cattle after 5 days then after 5 days followed by another four-day interval.

“So far we have received reports of the outbreak of the disease in four districts in Midlands. We are working to ensure that our cattle are well protected. We have enough chemicals to combat the disease and we will put the situation under control. We want farmers to follow a 5-5-4 dipping intervals for our livestock to survive. Farmers need to cooperate and we have a law which requires every farmer to dip their cattle and keep them tick free. Failure to do so is a punishable offense,” he said.

A blitz tick-grease programme under Presidential Input Scheme has also been running for the past two seasons and has been a gamechanger in the fight against January disease ( JD) and the programme will continue this season.

Zimbabwe is moving ahead on several fronts to fight tick-borne diseases by building, rebuilding and renovating dip tanks, ensuring that the subsidised dipping chemicals are brought to the tanks, by handing out tick grease to farmers and now by manufacturing vaccines.

Dr Nyika said there is a need to increase farmer awareness programmes with the help of traditional leaders to support the programme.

He said all provinces should be on high alert and chemicals will be distributed to all provinces adding that intensive dipping is the best way to combat the disease.

The department has produced January disease vaccine that is undergoing clinical field trials, once completed it will be deployed to the affected areas.

Dr Nyika said they are also receiving reports of the outbreak in Mashonaland West adding that they are also working to control the disease in the province.

Speaking during press conference on crop, livestock and fisheries assessment held in Harare last week,Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development Permanent Secretary Dr John Basera said the only way and sustainable way to contain and to do away with January disease is to dip for one and half years to two years.

He urged farmers to cooperate by bringing cattle to dip tanks adding that Government has made efforts to resuscitate dip tanks and securing chemicals to fight the disease.

“We need to dip religiously every week, intensive dipping and continuously raising awareness to the importance of dipping. Government has made some efforts but it is the responsibility of the cattle owner,” he said.

Dr Basera warned farmers being reluctant to dip their cattle adding that they will face arrest if they fail to do so.

During the wet season, animals are susceptible to many challenges, and if a farmer is not careful, they may be killed by various diseases including tick-borne diseases.

January Disease is common between December and March and is spread through the bite of the brown ear tick.