12 million doses of vaccines for livestock
THE Directorate of Veterinary Services (DVS) has set aside 12 million doses of animal vaccines to protect the country’s livestock from disease outbreaks that are expected to intensify during the forthcoming El-Nino-affected 2023/2024 summer cropping season.
The department says it requires up to US$6 million to stockpile enough vaccines for the country’s six million cattle herd by next year.
This rainy season will be affected by the El Niño weather phenomenon, which typically leads to delayed and below-normal rainfall, a development that exposes livestock to soil-borne and pass-on diseases. DVS chief director Dr Josphat Nyika said the authorities were up to the task.
“Currently, DVS has enough rabies vaccines in stock, with more stocks of foot-andmouth disease (FMD), anthrax and blackleg (three million doses each) required to cover all the livestock at risk,” he said.
“Most of the diseases that we anticipate to rise during this period are vaccine-preventable; therefore, the directorate needs a budget of US$6 million to stockpile sufficient vaccines to vaccinate livestock.”
Livestock vaccination is considered important when transitioning from one season to the other.
“Soil-borne diseases such as anthrax, blackleg, botulism and hardware are likely to rise,” he added.
“This is caused by livestock grazing too close to the ground and haphazard feeding patterns common during drought periods.”
Due to the possible scarcity of drinking water, he added, there was a high risk of transmission of diseases from wildlife to domestic animals, and possibly to humans.
Dip-tanks rehabilitated
“Increased activity or interaction at the human-livestock-wildlife level will likely result in the foot-and-mouth disease and rabies virus spillover to humans and domestic animals, hence the need to vaccinate against these diseases.”
The vaccines are expected to complement other initiatives being implemented to curb livestock diseases and mortality.
To date, over 1 000 dip-tanks have been rehabilitated, while 200 new ones have been constructed.
“The Presidential Tick Grease Programme, launched in November 2020, will continue to provide at least 1,6 million kg of tick grease,” he said.
“Each livestock-owning household is set to receive 2kg of tick grease for free.
“Tick grease complements the intensive national cattle dipping programme being run by the DVS at over 4 000 dip-tanks dotted across the country.”
Speaking to The Sunday Mail recently, Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development Permanent Secretary Dr John Basera said farmers need to climate-proof livestock production through adoption of climate-smart initiatives.
“A healthy animal stands a ‘bad season’ better, hence adoption of GAPs (good agricultural practices) is encouraged at all times,” he said.
“For veld grass, to farmers, we say, ‘don’t burn it, bale it as hay for livestock.’”
More than 500 000 cattle have succumbed to tick-borne diseases such as theileriosis (January disease) over the last five years.