New livestock policy on cards

Development Minister Joseph Made has said.

He said if the livestock sector was handled properly, it would be able to generate meaningful income for farmers.
Minister Made said it was worrying that private abattoirs were not ploughing back into the industry.
He said the livestock sector would be assured of sustained growth if private abattoirs were investing in the sector.

“Government will soon make it mandatory for those benefiting from the sector to plough back into it,” said Minister Made.

“It is disturbing that 90 percent of livestock is slaughtered at private abattoirs yet none of the companies have a cattle breeding or fattening programme.”

The policy also targets to rebuild the national herd and to increase populations of sheep and goats by adopting and implementing appropriate and integrated strategies.

“We would want to restock the national beef herd from 5,2 million to six million, the dairy herd from 38 000 to 75 000 and sheep flock from 525 000 to 700 000 by 2015,” he said.
He said livestock production required long term concessionary financial support to increase production.

Loans for the purchase of breeding animals and improvement of beef production infrastructure would be made available and repayable over a period of three to five years.

“Priority of these schemes would be given to communities where livelihoods are more dependent on livestock without many alternative sources of income,” he said.

Minister Made said there were challenges facing the restocking programme.
The slaughter of the breeding stock, he said, was not matching with the investment in the breeding stock.
The Minister also raised concern that most private abattoirs were slaughtering breeding stock (females and the young animals) further depleting the national herd.

He also noted that diseases were resulting in livestock losses.
“There should be enough funds for treatment of diseases such as anthrax and lumpy skin,” he said.
Drought has also contributed to the decline of the national herd as more than 20 000 cattle have been lost due to drought with the most affected parts being Matabeleland South.

He, however, said there were high birthrates of both domestic and wild animals which could compensate the deaths.

The minister discouraged people from destroying pastures through veld fires but to start baling and preparing hay to feed livestock.

Meanwhile, the Cold Storage Company is set to embark on a cattle breeding programme to ensure self-sustenance.

The breeding programmes would be spearheaded at the company’s ranches targeting 14 000 cows and 300 bulls that will be complemented with artificial insemination.

Minister Made said the programme would start with cattle fattening at Darwendale, Wilsgrave, Chiuvumburu and Mushandike feedlots.

He said Government has re-established feedlots in most livestock areas.
“We do not know what will happen in terms of livestock feeds in the coming nine months and in some areas it will take more than nine months before another summer therefore the need for feedlots,” Minister Made said.