Chronicle Editor
Yoliswa Dube-Moyo, Mat South Bureau Chief
FARMERS in Matabeleland South have been urged to routinely dip their cattle until July as suspected cases of theileria parva infection have been detected in the province.
Theileria parva infection causes theileriosis, an acute, frequently fatal disease, which only affects cattle and is primarily transmitted by ticks.
Cattle can be infected with the theileria parasite without necessarily showing any signs of clinical disease.
A Gwatemba farmer reportedly lost over 17 cattle in one day to suspected theileriosis recently.
Matabeleland South provincial veterinary services director Dr Enart Mdlongwa said theileria was fatal and farmers needed to frequently dip their cattle to protect them against infection.
“There’s a farmer who recently lost over 17 animals in a day due to a disease we suspect to be theileria. This farmer had taken the animals from Mberengwa to Gwatemba and some to his farm in Lancaster. We have collected samples and taken them to the lab and are waiting for the lab to confirm that it was indeed theileria,” said Dr Mdlongwa.
He said the veterinary services in the province had a dipping facility which is sufficient to dip cattle up to July this year.
“I encourage all farmers to take their cattle for dipping as one tick can lay over 20 000 eggs. I know some farmers prefer using knapsack sprayers, but these are inefficient as they don’t get to the hard-to-reach places where ticks like to live,” said Dr Mdlongwa.
According to the Communal Act of Zimbabwe every communal farmer is bound by the Animal Health Act to take their cattle for dipping.
“With theileria, one can buy medications for the infected cattle and inject them, but the animal will still die, so farmers need to be very careful and prevent this disease,” said Dr Mdlongwa.
He encouraged villagers to notify veterinary officers of any farmers who do not take their cattle for dipping so that a follow-up can be made.
“The objective of dipping is to minimise production losses through ticks and flies, and the diseases associated with these pests.”
Livestock production is one of the major economic drivers in Matabeleland South. – @Yolisswa
Online Reporter