Cattle herd increases 7pc
OVER the last two years, there has been a seven percent increase in the province’s cattle herd, a development that has been largely attributed to effective disease control mechanisms, The Manica Post has learnt.
The past few years had seen the provincial herd depleting due to tick-borne diseases such as theileriosis, widely known as January Disease, with 2 173 cattle worth about US$1 million succumbing to the ailment in 2021.
Figures obtained from the Veterinary Services Department (VSD) showed that the province had 590 000 cattle in 2020.
The numbers decreased to between 520 000 and 550 000 by April 2021.
However, the figures started to pick up in August 2021, leaving the province with 626 000 cattle by November last year.
To date, the province has 630 000 cattle, an increase of seven percent from 2020.
The VSD revealed that effective disease control mechanisms that include regular dipping, dip tank construction and rehabilitation and vaccination have helped increase the provincial herd.
The disease control programme is part of the Animal Health and Disease Control, a component of the National Development Strategy (NDS1).
During a visit to Buhera District last week, it was noted that most farmers are now adhering to regular dipping of cattle.
Buhera is a stronghold in cattle breeding, but was also one of the worst affected by January Disease in recent years.
At Chinhema Dip Tank in Madzivadondo Village, Nyazura, where January Disease and lump skin disease were wreaking havoc, the situation is now under control.
Cattle are being dipped after every two weeks and plans are afoot to dip them every week at the onset of the rainy season.
Districts such as Buhera, Mutare, Makoni and the southern parts of Mutasa such as Mt Jenya, Premier, Nyamajura, Odzi and Claire were the most affected by January Disease.
Chimanimani and Chipinge have not been greatly affected by the scourge.
Apart from the availability of dipping chemicals which were scarce in the recent past, The
Manica Post has also observed the rehabilitation
and construction of new dip tanks across the province.
Dr Innocent Chabanga, the VSD Epidemiologist for Manicaland said various interventions have been made in the last two years to increase the provincial herd.
“We have implemented a number of things to ensure this steady increase. This includes regular dipping and dip tank construction across the province,” said Dr Chabanga.
He added:“We have also been rehabilitating some dip tanks around the province. For now, we can safely say more than 75 percent of our cattle are being presented for dipping. The issue of vaccination has also been covered. The local manufacturing of the January Disease vaccine has also helped a lot.
“Even though we are yet to cover all parts of the province with the locally produced January Disease vaccine, significant ground has been covered and we hope to do a lot more in that regard, given that we now have a local source of the vaccine.
“We are also seriously vetting our cattle for branding during dipping. This allows us to see the movement of cattle from one place to the other in order to avoid the spread of diseases,” he said.
Given that January Disease is characterised by a high fatality rate, with infected cattle having high chances of succumbing to the disease, access to vaccination will go a long way in safeguarding the provincial herd.
There has also been accelerated vaccination programmes around the province for other diseases such as anthrax, black leg and lump skin. However, Dr Chabanga bemoaned the shortage of water near dip tanks.
“The major challenge that we have been facing of late is that of water shortage. We need to have a borehole at every dip tank in order to alleviate this challenge. The boreholes near dip tanks should be used for dipping purposes only, not even for gardening because the chemicals used in dipping cattle are not good for crops,” he said.
According to the Animal Health Act, it is the responsibility of Government, through the VSD, to ensure that dipping chemicals are available at all communal dip tanks in line with dipping schedules.
According to this law, farmers have the responsibility to avail their cattle for dipping, with those that fail to do so are liable for prosecution. Reports of any sick or dead cattle must be made immediately, while cattle must be inspected by VSD.
Supplementary dipping as well as hand dressing on ears, under tails, tail brushes, around the udder, groan and between hooves is also encouraged.
Early treatment of sick cattle and prophlylaxis of the remaining herd is also encouraged.