JUST IN: Cattle succumb to drought, farmers urged to destock

Elita Chikwati Senior Agriculture Reporter
Farmers have been urged to consider de-stocking by selling unproductive cattle to reduce pressure on the existing resources and also use the proceeds to procure stockfeed for the remaining herd.

The call comes as most farmers in different parts of the country are losing their cattle to drought. The most affected areas are Masvingo, Matabeleland South, Matabeleland North, South of Midlands, Muzarabani and South of Manicaland. Zimbabwe Farmers Union president, Mr Abdul Nyathi has confirmed that a huge number of cattle is succumbing to drought and the situation was been made worse by the drying up of dams in many areas.

“Cattle are now dying due to lack of water and pastures. Dams are drying up where there is little baled grass. The hay bales are being sold at between $80 and $100 per 15 kilogramme bale which is out of reach for many.

“Farmers should destock. They choose unproductive cattle and sell so that they can get money to buy supplementary feeding. Although the quality of meat has gone down, it is better to sell at a low price than to lose the whole herd to drought,” he said.

Zimbabwe Commercial Farmers Union director, Mr Jeremiah Tevera also concurred with Mr Nyathi and said farmers could save their livestock through culling.

“Farmers with resources should provide supplementary feeding, hay bales and salt licks.

“Farmers with huge stocks can destock by selling part of their stock and remain with manageable numbers of livestock per unit area and use the money to buy feed for the remaining stock. In our traditional culture we value livestock so much that we end up losing them because we don’t want to sell. We want to save the best of the stock using the minimum resources available so we have to sacrifice and remove unproductive animals and create more pastures for the remaining stock,” he said.

Ministry of Lands, Agriculture, Water, Climate and Rural Resettlement Department of Veterinary Services director, Dr Nyika said cattle Government is working on assisting farmers.

“We are now approaching the rainfall season where cattle also die of tick-borne diseases. We are working with farmers so they increase dipping intervals and protect their cattle against diseases,” he said.