Farmers hold symposium on January disease

Livestock enthusiasts may easily be forgiven for feeling that there is some kind of disconnect between the urgency accorded to crop production issues and the equally vital, yet overlooked needs of their animals.

Peter Matika

FARMERS and villagers in Fort Rixon Matabeleland South province will hold an urgent stakeholders meeting concerning the continued loss of livestock due to January Disease.

The meeting will be held at Msudu Business Centre in Fort Rixon on 24 June this year.

The ghastly disease has ‘devoured’ hundreds if not thousands of cattle in Insiza Matabeleland North province, putting the national herd’s capacity at risk.

Early this year the Government implemented a mandatory quarantine on cattle movement, in an effort to prevent the disease from spreading and possibly contain it.

However, like a vengeful spirit, the disease has remained unappeased and continues to claim the lives of more cattle, leaving villagers and farmers in distress.

“Over the past two years farmers in Fort Rixon have lost thousands of cattle to the deadly January disease. Ezinye izibaya sezivaliwe. (Some pens have been completely ravaged). The Insiza North Agricultural Development Action Trust (INADA) together with the Department of Veterinary Services and farmers from Fort Rixon will be holding a meeting to intensify the battle against the disease and to recommend response mechanisms to Government,” said Mr Ndumiso Mpofu chairperson of INADA.