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Herald Reporter
FARMERS and the Veterinary Department have managed to rehabilitate over 400 dip tanks countrywide this year as part of efforts to reduce the number of cattle succumbing to tick-borne diseases.
The process is underway and 1000 diptanks are targeted for recommissioning this summer season.
Last year Government, with the help of development partners, spent $67 million towards dip tank rehabilitation in all provinces.
Rehabilitation of the dip tanks was one of the measures taken to prevent tick-borne diseases that affect and kill cattle, especially theileriosis, commonly known as January disease.
Director of Veterinary Services in the Ministry of Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development , Dr Jairus Machakwa, said it is Government’s policy to resuscitate all non-functioning dip tanks so as to fight the spread of tick-borne diseases.
Farmers are keen to see the dip tanks back and are participating in the rehabilitation of all non-functional dip tanks. Farmers are working very well. So far more than 400 dip tanks have been rehabilitated.
“Government has mobilised resources for the programme and everything is going well in all provinces. We are doing this to ensure that dip tanks are in optimum standard before the rainy season.
“The reason for this programme is to ensure that we protect cattle from tick borne diseases,” Dr Machakwa said.
He said dip chemicals are in stock to ensure that livestock is protected from tick borne diseases and urged farmers to take livestock rearing as a serious business. Midlands provincial veterinary director Dr Martin Sibanda confirmed that farmers are on the ground working on dip tanks.
“Farmers are currently working and rehabilitating dip tanks across the country,” he said.
“Material has been delivered and the work is in progress. Dip tanks are vital as they protect our cattle from getting tick-borne diseases. We are glad to see farmers participating in this exercise,” said Dr Sibanda.
During the rainy season, farmers were assured by the Department of Veterinary Services that it had adequate dipping chemicals in stock, but were urged to be cautious and reduce livestock mortality due to tick-borne diseases. Theileriosis killed thousands of livestock, mainly cattle, during the rainy season in the last few years.
Presently, the department is also carrying out awareness campaigns urging farmers to present their cattle at dip tanks for dipping but with the sort of response the department is getting from farmers when it comes to repairing the tanks, pressure is unlikely to be needed.
However, if there are a few holdouts, then the Animal Health (Cattle Cleansing) Regulations (1993) make it mandatory for farmers to send cattle for dipping whenever the Department of Veterinary Services deems it necessary and farmers who do not comply are liable to prosecution.
The regulations stipulate that no person shall fail or refuse to comply with a lawful instruction to dip their cattle.
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