The Sunday Mail
Online Reporter
LIVESTOCK diseases have gone down by 50 percent during the January to April period this year compared to a year earlier, as Government’s awareness campaigns to encourage farmers to dip their cattle have begun paying off.
According to a report released by the Ministry of Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development, 4 241 tick-borne disease deaths were recorded from January to April this year, compared to 8 328 and 10 774 deaths over the same period in 2020 and 2019, respectively.
“The worst-hit Theileriosis areas are Chiredzi, Gutu, Masvingo (Masvingo Province), and Makoni East (Manicaland), Zvimba, Chegutu, Mhondoro-Ngezi (Mashonaland West). Currently, all the hotspots received tick-grease and are on 5-5-4 dipping intervals (three times in two weeks) to bring the situation under control,” said the ministry.
Authorities are prosecuting farmers found with tick-infested cattle, including those whose stock cards prove that cattle are not dipping.
