Online Reporter
Judith Phiri, Business Reporter
FARMERS in different parts of the country have started hay baling in preparation of the winter season, which is characterised by reduced grazing and water availability.
During Zimbabwe’s winter season, livestock farmers face various challenges and supplementary feeding with crop residues, urea and molasses is crucial, along with measures to prevent diseases like botulism.
It also brings about complications to farmers involved in animal husbandry as cattle are forced to acclimatise themselves with low temperatures in order to keep themselves healthy.
In an interview, a stud breeder in Esigodini area of Umzingwane District in Matabeleland South and current Simmental and Simbrah Breeders Society Zimbabwe president, Mr Obert Chinhamo said hay baling was important as it assures livestock farmers of a continuous flow of quality fodder for their livestock in winter and a good fodder bank.
“We have had very good rains and past experiences have taught us that all the lush green pastures that come with good rains may last just a few months as we always experience devastating wild fires.
“Apart from baling, farmers can make silage out of whatever fodder they have abundantly. Silage making is a very simple anaerobic process that can be done with no machinery and has very fantastic results in post winter feeding solutions,” he said.
He said April and May were months for farmers to be doing their pregnancy diagnosis and making decisions on which animals are potential culls and cash flow for the farm.
Mr Chinhamo said animals need to be fed appropriately during winter and it was important to keep an eye on how much is being given to the smaller and weaker animals, particularly those that are about to give birth.
“Proper winter nutrition and environmental control will contribute to preserving a cow’s internal body temperature and keeping it warm. When it is chilly, a cow’s feed demand increases by as much as 20 percent.”
Carrying out fodder production to greater heights, Mr Ntuthuko Mpofu, a small-scale youth farmer from Lupane District in Matabeleland North, said fodder crops reduce pressure on the grazing lands and allow them to recover.
“Fodder crops have various benefits as they are very palatable, nutritious, can adapt to a wide range of soil types, easy to grow, drought tolerant, withstand extended periods of moisture stress and can be grown on dry land without any irrigation,” he said.
He said through fodder production, farmers can grow various forages and legumes crops, which are nutritious for their livestock.
Mr Mpofu said animals that are supplemented with various forages and herbaceous legumes are able to produce enough milk for their offspring.
“For grasses such as banner grass, we harvest them when they are about one to 1,2 metres in height, by then it will be very palatable and highly nutritious. For legumes, they are normally harvested when they are about 30 to 50 percent flowering stage.
“After that, depending on the farmer’s capacity or choice of preference, they can choose to conserve or preserve the feeds in two ways, either in dry form, which we call hay or in fresh form, which is called silage,” he said.
