January Disease kills 1 300 Bubi District cattle in a month

THE Ministry of Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development has issued a stern warning to farmers in Bubi District, Matabeleland North, who are not taking their livestock for dipping, as close to 1 300 cattle deaths have been recorded due to January Disease (JD) this year.

Also known as Theileriosis, JD is a deadly tick-borne illness that spreads rapidly in warm, wet conditions and can wipe out entire herds if not controlled.

Severe outbreaks of the disease have been ravaging communal cattle farming regions across the country, putting the national herd at risk, jeopardising food security and livelihoods of rural communities reliant on cattle farming.

In Bubi District of Matabeleland North Province statistics indicate that this year 1 401 January Disease cases were reported resulting in 1 294 deaths. More than 5 000 cattle have so far been vaccinated against January disease in the district’s hotspots.

The statistics also indicate that a huge increase in January disease cases and deaths have been noted in the district this year between last month and this month compared to the same period in 2024 and 2025.

Officials say this might be due to an increase in the number of epidemiological units affected by January Disease in the province as well as increase in tick habitat following heavy rains received this season.

In an interview at Inyathi Diptank in Bubi District on Thursday, Lands, Agriculture, Water, Fisheries and Rural Development Deputy Minister, Davis Marapira, said he was saddened to note that some farmers were not implementing the 5-5-4 dipping regime.

“We have recorded about 1 300 cattle deaths in Bubi District, mostly due to January Disease. January disease is caused by brown ticks and we can only destroy them by dipping continuously and religiously,” he said.

“In this area, we have realised that some farmers do not bring their cattle to the diptank and it’s these farmers who then suffer a lot from January disease caused by the brown ticks.

“As Government we have brought in vaccinations and dipping chemicals, while we have already vaccinated 5 000 animals out of almost 80 000 animals here in the Bubi District. We have been targeting the most affected diptanks and we have done the vaccination.”

He said the Government encourages farmers to contribute their $2 per animal per year towards dipping chemicals and said Government will continue to provide $1 for each beast per year.

Deputy Minister Marapira said Government had asked private players such as Coopers Animal Health to assist with dipping chemicals for the next one month in Bubi District.

“Four diptanks around this area will get these dipping chemicals so that animals are continuously and religiously dipped. We want to see a decrease in new deaths”, he said.

Deputy Minister Marapira said failure to dip cattle was a criminal offence under the Animal Health Act and the Cattle Cleansing Act.

He said farmers who do not comply with mandatory dipping schedules therefore face penalties.
Matabeleland North provincial veterinary services director, Dr Gwinyai Zhandire also bemoaned the failure by some farmers to bring their cattle for dipping.

Under the 5-5-4 dipping regime, livestock should be dipped every five days for two cycles, followed by a four-day interval before resuming the five-day schedule.

Dr Zhandire called for farmers to heed compliance to dipping regulations and dipping frequencies as the Department of Veterinary Services continues to conduct dipping sessions.

A local farmer, Mr Mandla Siwela, said he lost nine cattle to January Disease.
“Sometime last year I lost three cattle to January disease and six this year,” he said.

Mr Siwela said they were grateful to the Government for the vaccinations and dipping chemicals.
Village Head, Mr Godfree Siwela said as traditional leaders they continue encouraging farmers to bring their cattle for dipping.

“We have taken note of Government’s concern regarding farmers who are not bringing their cattle for dipping and we will do everything within our powers to ensure every farmer complies with the required dipping regime,” he said.