adminBrenda Ziga Herald Reporter
Farmers should not eat meat from cattle that die from unknown diseases, Agriculture, Mechanisation and Irrigation Development Deputy Minister responsible for Livestock Cde Paddy Zhanda has said. This comes after an unknown disease claimed 35 cattle at Lyam Farm in Beatrice recently while other cattle were reportedly still suffering from the ailment. “I am not aware of the Beatrice incident, but Government advised farmers against consuming meat from cattle that die from unknown causes,” he said.
The Department of Veterinary Services also advised livestock farmers to dip their cattle to protect them from tick-borne diseases. The department’s deputy director, Dr Chenjerayi Njagu, said the deaths were still under investigation, but the animals were dying as a result of tick-borne diseases.
“Poor management of pest control can expose livestock to diseases,” he said. He urged farmers to alert the department early if they encountered challenges reducing the spread of the diseases.
Lyam Farm plot number two owner, Mr Phineas Manyange, said he lost 27 beasts in 30 days. “I have lost 27 cattle in 30 days and I consulted the Veterinary Service Department in Beatrice and they first said they suspected it was poisoning because they failed to detect any disease
“The veterinary officers gave us the treatment to neutralise that “poison”, but it did not work as the cattle continued to suffer and die.
Mr Manyange said he continued to consult the Veterinary Services Department, which recently concluded that it was tick-borne disease.
“Results from the veterinary department showed that the cattle were dying because of a tick-borne disease. Farmers are not properly dipping their cattle resulting in the cattle suffering from the disease.
“The Lyam farmers at first misled us with the false information that the cattle were poisoned from the pool then we gave them treatment,”a veterinary services officer who refused to be named said.
Eight cattle which died were from other neighbouring farms that were Plot No. 1, 3 and 4.
Steven Chimhofu of Plot No. 1 at Lyam Farm said he lost a beast and he was afraid that the remaining ones would also be affected.
Online Reporter