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Precious Manomano Herald Reporter
The Department of Veterinary Services is planning to produce 400 000 doses of vaccine for Theileriosis (January disease), 80 000 for Redwater (Babesiosis) and another 80 000 for Anaplasmosis (gall sickness) to contain diseases and boost livestock production.
The department is also expecting to produce 25 million doses of Newcastle vaccine this year to fight the poultry disease compared to 15 million produced last season.
The Veterinary Services Department deputy director diagnostic and research Dr Chenai Majuru said the department was scaling up the production of vaccines for tick borne diseases during this rainy season.
She said they are working on modalities to produce anthrax vaccine in the country, adding that a technical team is on the ground training the experts.
But despite the vaccines, dipping is the major critical component of protecting livestock from tick borne diseases adding that vaccination and tick grease are only complementary measures.
She emphasised weekly dipping intervals of 5-5-4 dipping regime during this rainy season..
“Dipping is a critical measure in eliminating tick borne disease. The rainy season has always been associated with increased tick activity and an upsurge of tick-borne disease. The process of dipping helps to break the tick cycle. We encourage farmers to dip cattle regularly,’’ he said.
Last year, the Government declared a national war against January disease following an upsurge in cases and deaths of livestock diseases.
Acting deputy director of veterinary field services Dr Reverend Spargo recently reminded farmers that they must get permits when moving livestock adding that vaccines are available and farmers should buy from reputable sources.
He also urged farmers to vaccinate their livestock against vector-borne and soil borne diseases to prevent major outbreaks during the rainy season.
Livestock farmers interviewed by The Herald in Zvimba recently said vaccination was crucial, adding that farmer awareness campaigns need to be scaled up.
Mr Chamunorwa Masangwi, said farmers should always dip, dose and vaccinate their livestock even when there was no disease outbreak.
“Farmer awareness needs to be scaled up. We should get a vaccination calendar or get education on vaccinations so that we do not continue losing our cattle,” he said.
Ms Margaret Munemo said farmers believe in keeping large numbers of cattle, but cannot afford to buy chemicals for dosing.
“Another challenge is that we are attached to our livestock and we do not want to sell. Instead of selling part of the herd to get money to buy feed and vaccines, we maintain the large herd which may later be affected by diseases,” she said.
It is advisable for farmers to vaccinate their cattle during the dry season so that they will produce enough antibodies that will fight the disease in wet conditions since more infections are also found in wet season.
Online Reporter