Online Reporter
Thupeyo Muleya, Beitbridge Bureau
LIVESTOCK farmers in Beitbridge and across Matabeleland South have been urged to abandon the long-standing practice of burning grass and instead preserve it as hay to cushion their animals against harsh dry seasons.
According to agricultural experts, annual veld fires are destroying valuable grazing land and leaving many farmers scrambling for expensive stock feed when natural pastures dry up.
The Agricultural and Rural Development Advisory Services (ARDAS), noted that grass that is burnt today could be the difference between healthy livestock and severe losses during the dry season.
Beitbridge livestock specialist Ms Cecilia Chakanyuka warned that continued burning of grazing land threatens both livestock production and household incomes.
“Burning grass is killing our future feed and farmers need to plan ahead. The grass you burn today is the hay you will cry for in October when your animals are thin and market prices are low,” she said.
In Beitbridge and much of Matabeleland South, livestock are a critical source of food, income and household security.
Cattle, goats and sheep provide meat, milk and draught power, while many families sell animals to pay school fees, medical bills and other household expenses.
Government, working with development partners, has intensified programmes aimed at helping farmers treat livestock production as a business rather than merely a traditional activity.
The training programmes focus on feed management, grazing preservation and practical methods of producing alternative stock feeds.
Ms Chakanyuka said one of the options being promoted is the cultivation of fodder crops such as sorghum, lablab and velvet beans during the rainy season.
“They grow fast and produce a lot of green material that can be cut, dried and stored,” she said.
However, Ms Chakanyuka said the department’s main focus at present is hay baling.
The process involves cutting natural grass while it is still green, drying it in the sun and storing it in bales for use during periods of feed shortages.
“Hay baling is our main message at the moment. Natural grass from the veld can be cut while it is still green, dried in the sun and packed into bales,” said Ms Chakanyuka.
“The bales are then stored in a dry place and fed to animals later.”
Ms Chakanyuka said hay could be stored for long periods provided it is kept dry, making it a reliable source of feed during the dry season.
Farmers are also being encouraged to make use of crop residues to produce stover.
This involves processing maize stalks and leaves left after harvest into supplementary livestock feed.
“Making stover is another way to boost future stock feeds. After harvesting maize, the stalks and leaves can be chopped and treated to make stover,” she said.
“This is another relatively affordable way to feed animals during the dry months.”
Ms Chakanyuka said the effects of veld fires extend beyond individual farmers.
“When you bale grass, you are saving it. When you burn it, you destroy feed not only for your own animals but also for your neighbours’ animals,” she said.
Beyond feed management, farmers have also been encouraged to market their livestock strategically.
Ms Chakanyuka said many farmers wait too long to sell their animals, only to find prices depressed after the dry season has taken a toll on livestock condition.
She advised farmers to sell animals between April and June when they are still in good condition following the rainy season.
“By then everyone will be selling and prices will drop. From August to October, only cattle receiving supplementary feeding will remain in good condition,” said Ms Chakanyuka.
She said farmers who invest in hay production and supplementary feeding would have healthier animals and better returns.
“Farmers who make hay now will have stronger animals later. Strong animals fetch better prices at auction pens and abattoirs,” said Ms Chakanyuka.
“We advise them to start supplementing feed stocks from June until the onset of the next rainy season.”
Ms Chakanyuka said ARDAS would continue working with farmers and development partners to promote sustainable livestock production.
“Livestock is wealth. If we manage our grass well, our animals will stay healthy and our families will have income all year round,” she said.
