The Sunday Mail
Theseus Shambare
The national herd is projected to grow to eight million cattle by 2025 from the current 5,5 million through implementation of the Livestock Recovery and Growth Plan, including other support measures from Government.
In an interview with The Sunday Mail on the sidelines of the National Breed Sale in Mount Hampden last week, Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development Permanent Secretary Dr John Basera said growing the national herd was a priority.
“My ministry recognises the importance of the stud industry in providing top-quality seed stock to enhance livestock production and continues to devote considerable resources to protect and promote stud breeding,” he said.
“As Government, we are targeting a herd of six million by 2023 from our current 5,5 million, and obviously by the year 2025 we are targeting to have reached between 7,5 million and 8 million.
“But to achieve this, we have come up with several measures that we are putting in place.”
Genetic engineering, he said, was central to sustaining growth of the national herd by ensuring livestock adapt to climate change.
The Presidential Bull Scheme and the Youth Heifer Scheme were already facilitating growth of the national herd, added Dr Basera.
“Climate change is real and our breeders need to continue working hard in crossbreeding our cattle so that we develop a herd that is fit for our climatic conditions.”
He said apart from genetic improvement farmers need to religiously dip their cattle to protect them from tick-borne diseases.
“We are also rolling out vaccinations against foot and mouth disease and we are doing incredibly well in that.”
Over a million farmers had received support under the Presidential Tick Grease blitz, helping reduce the cattle mortality rate by 47 percent.
Department of Veterinary Services chief director Dr Josphat Nyika said dip-tanks were being resuscitated countrywide.
“Our target is to have all 4 000 dip-tanks fully operational after we resuscitate them.
“So far we have managed to refurbish over 2 000 and we are still going,” he said.
This year’s National Breed Sale had 71 pedigree bulls, 58 heifers and two goats.
A Brahman Stud bull sold for US$13 500 fetched the highest price at the auction.
