Chronicle Editor
Sukulwenkosi Dube-Matutu, [email protected]
THE Department of Veterinary Services has advised farmers in Matabeleland South to herd and pen their cattle overnight to prevent losses due to the El Niño-induced drought.
Last month, about 50 cattle perished after they were trapped in Makwilila Dam in Ward 7, Gwanda District.
The dam is a crucial water source for five villages but has become perilous due to its low water levels.
The province had inadequate rainfall during the 2023/2024 farming season.
Matabeleland South provincial veterinary director, Dr Enat Mdlongwa, stressed the importance of adaptive measures to protect livestock.
“The El Nino-induced drought has left livestock needing feed and water. If farmers don’t adopt adaptive measures, they are likely to lose their animals. Farmers have to prepare feed with the necessary nutrition components for their animals,” he said.
Dr Mdlongwa recommended that farmers prepare nutritious feed and construct makeshift shelters near grazing areas to monitor their cattle effectively.
He said such measures help prevent stock theft and disease while allowing for timely treatment of animals in poor condition.
“Farmers should herd their animals and also pen them overnight. We have an outreach programme to educate farmers on measures they can adopt to preserve their herd,” said Dr Mdlongwa.
“There is a need for farmers to treat each beast as a valuable business asset. While the Government is implementing strategies to preserve livestock, farmers should also adopt coping mechanisms.”
Sitezi farmer, Mr Adson Nkala, who lost 10 cattle to the dam, highlighted the challenges of herding cattle in extreme drought conditions and the financial difficulties in hiring herders.
“I lost 10 cattle that were trapped in the Makwilila Dam mud. It’s difficult to herd animals when there is no grazing land. We now drive them about 20 kilometres to the resettlement area and then collect them some days later,” he said.
The Government is working with various partners and has put in place different measures to cushion communities against the effects of the El Nino-induced drought.
The Government recently launched the livestock drought mitigation programme as part of a cocktail of efforts to mitigate the impact of drought on the country’s livestock sector.
The programme will see drought mitigation centres being established in all 1 620 rural wards across the country. The centres will house solar-powered boreholes, nutrition gardens, livestock feeding troughs, livestock water troughs, and supplementary feeding troughs.
Livestock sales centres are also being constructed in each drought mitigation centre.
The baling programme has also been intensified whereby hay is moved from provinces that have grass to provinces that require hay.
Agritex has also intensified silage-making training in communities to ensure access to affordable and nutritious feed. – @DubeMatutu.
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