Online Reporter
Raymond Jaravazaray. [email protected]
Zimbabwean farmers have, for generations, relied on the resilience of their cattle to survive droughts, disease and other harsh climatic conditions, but a new generation of livestock producers is turning to improved genetics to build stronger, more productive and climate-resilient herds.
The shift is helping farmers improve the quality of their animals while contributing to Government’s ambitious target of growing the national cattle herd to six million by 2030 under its livestock genetic improvement programme.
The programme is supporting artificial insemination and structured breeding systems through capacitated research institutions, with emphasis on indigenous and adapted breeds such as Tuli,
Mashona and Nkone, which are renowned for their fertility, resilience and ability to withstand harsh conditions.
The initiative is part of a broader Government strategy to improve livestock performance, reduce mortality and boost beef production efficiency as Zimbabwe moves towards a more competitive and climate-smart agricultural sector.
Commercial farmers are also playing a key role in the drive, with the Pilossof family, a household name in Zimbabwe’s pedigree cattle and genetics business, contributing to the improvement of national cattle genetics and complementing Government efforts to rebuild the national herd.
Deputy Minister of Agriculture, Mechanisation and Water Resources Development, Davis Marapira, reflected on this during a field day at the Rhodes Estates farm in Matabeleland South Province on Wednesday.
The Pilossof brothers run a commercial cattle rearing entity known for its famed Brahman and Beefmasters breeds on a sprawling 4 000-hectare enterprise.
In 2014 the Pilossof brothers entered into an agreement with the Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management Authority (ZimParks) to run their pedigree business in the Rhodes Estates as means to preserve parts of the Matopos National Park — a world heritage site — while at the same time operating a commercially viable livestock project in the park.
“The country’s cattle genetics are vastly improving and as Government we are happy that farmers such as the Pilossof family are advancing good genetics that are adaptable to the climate change and local climatic conditions,” said Marapira.
“Climate change has made us rethink our farming models and the Pilossof family has managed to adapt to the challenges that are brought about by the phenomenon.” The Deputy Minister said the
Pilossof family were doing remarkable work at their farm given the difficult climatic and economic circumstances.
“Mr Paul Pilossof and the Pilossof family operate a premier pedigree cattle and genetics enterprise here in Matopos and the family is renowned for their high-value Brahman and Beefmaster breeding programs,” he said.
“Their work is in direct alignment with the Government’s livestock development mantra on genetics improvement and climate-smart ranching.
“This is further strengthened through their collaboration with the Matopos Research Institute.”
Deputy Minister Marapira said livestock remains the main economic driver for the majority of farmers in the Matabeleland region hence it should be treated like business with immense potential to change the lives of farmers and their families.
“The Pilossof farming activities are closely tied to the innovation and conservation frameworks at the Matopos Research Institute, which leads in national livestock genetics, artificial insemination, and pasture management.
“The farmers have demonstrated a high level of nutrition management, with full utilisation of available resources to maintain excellent herd body condition,” he said.
Deputy Minister Marapira encouraged other farmers to emulate the practices being implemented at the Pilossof farm while addressing severe challenges such as adverse weather patterns, pasture scarcity, and infrastructural threats, including illegal gold panning activities.
“These diggings are endangering livestock and degrading grazing land on this estate. It’s now evident that there is an urgent need to harmonise agriculture and mining activities,” he said.
“The degradation in this area has drastically shrunk the available grazing area. In reality, land use planning remains just desk work until the relevant ministries address these anomalies.”
For years, the Pilossof family has been battling an ever growing influx of illegal gold panners who have been digging pits and deep trenches where the cattle are falling in.
Head of the farm project, Mr Paul Pilossof, said close to 200 pedigree cattle have died in the last couple of years after falling into the open pits left by the illegal gold panners or from drinking water contaminated with chemicals such as cyanide, whose use is now outlawed in the extraction of gold.
The pedigree cattle at the farm can cost between US$4 000 to US$8 000 each.
Some Pilossof Ruvale Brahman bulls from the farm have in the past been sold for as much as US$13 000 each.
During the tour, Zimpapers news crew observed over 30 pits concentrated in a very small area at the base of a small mountain.
Mr Pilossof said the “secret” to the success of the operations at their farm is the continous need to keep quality genes in the Brahman and Beefmasters cattle, a drive that was instilled by their late father who was also a respected breeder in the country.
“My father used to say that a good name sells and as the Pilossof brothers we strive to mantain a good name in the breeding business and we do that by keeping only the best genes.
“A good name is established through adoption of good business ethics and selling quality animals to the market,” said Mr Pilossof.
He said as a business they do not keep animals with bad genes but instead cull the animals to maintain a good name in the breeding business.
