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Elita Chikwati Agriculture Reporter
A suspected Newcastle disease outbreak has hit Domboshava, killing large numbers of poultry daily. The disease is affecting indigenous, broiler and layers chickens, leaving fowl runs empty in Shumba, Molife and Pote areas. Some farmers said poultry has been dying for the past two weeks and most of them no longer have any birds.
Shumba villager Mr Room Chigwinya said he lost 35 chickens in seven days and is afraid he is going to lose the whole flock if veterinary officers do not attend in time.
“The chickens show a sign of weakness, loss of appetite, sneezing with swollen glands, have problems in walking and within a few hours they die,” he said.
Mr Chigwinya said the liver of the affected bird is yellowish while the droppings of the bird have an offensive smell.
Another affected farmer, Mrs Sabina Mutete, said she resorted to other traditional ways of treating chickens but this has not helped the situation.
“I had 100 chickens and I lost them. At times 20 chickens would die on the same day and the fowl run has been swept clean,” she said.
Some villagers are consuming the affected chickens while others are burning them for fear of contaminating the disease.
Others are reportedly slaughtering and eating their chickens before they are affected by the disease.
The people in Shumba area complained that the veterinary officers were not attending to farmers.
The farmers complained that veterinary officers are stationed at Domboshava Showground which is far away from their area.
“We consult the veterinary officers whenever we have a problem with our livestock. Instead of attending, the officers ask for explanations over the phone and never follow up to the reports.
“Sometimes they tell us that they can only come if we provide them with fuel or we provide transport from their offices to the farm,” complained another farmer.
The villagers complained that veterinary officers used to patrol the area and assist farmers but nowadays they charge US$100 to vaccinate a single beast and are not forthcoming whenever farmers have problems.
Mashonaland East Zimbabwe Farmers Union chairman Mr Claudious Marimo said the problem has affected many villagers, most of whom had poultry projects.
“Most of our members were into broiler and layers production and the situation is so bad. We are appealing to the Department of Veterinary Services to assist,” he said.
Department of Veterinary Services deputy director Dr Chenjerayi Njagu said the department had not received any reports but said the poultry could be dying from Newcastle disease.
He said the department was going to attend to the area to ascertain the real disease affecting the poultry and carry out vaccinations.
Newcastle, a disease that is characterised by nervous symptoms and pneumonia in poultry, can wipe out entire flocks in a very short time, and chickens need to be vaccinated against it.
Online Reporter