Don’t keep animals in muddy conditions: experts

26 Feb, 2017 - 00:02 0 Views
Don’t keep animals in muddy conditions: experts

The Sunday News

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Dumisani Nsingo and Dickson Mangena, Farming Reporters
THE prolonged period of excessive rainfall across the country could lead to health problems for livestock, experts have said.

Matabeleland South Department of Livestock Production and Development provincial livestock specialist Mrs Simangaliphi Ngwabi said farmers were facing a threat of disease increases if penned animals are maintained in muddy conditions.

“The most important thing is that farmers should not allow livestock including calves to be exposed to wet conditions. Many farmers have lost their calves mostly due to pneumonia. The pens or kraal should be well-drained or the animals shouldn’t be made to rest in them,” she said.

Mrs Ngwabi said infections and diseases that affect animals due to exposure to wet conditions include rain scald, forage toxicity, anthrax, arsenic herbicide poisoning and scouring.

“The most prominent infections or diseases are rain scald as well as scouring (diarrhoea) due to the fact that the animals will continuously be introduced to new pastures. Apart from being affected by pneumonia, the animals become weak and are also affected by foot rot,” she said.

Most parts of Zimbabwe have been receiving continous rains since December last year. Mrs Ngwabi said although pastures were now sufficient, farmers should be wary of an upsurge in ticks culminating in the rise of tick-borne diseases.

“The incessant rains tend to result in ticks infestation leading to an increase in tick-borne diseases. It also has to be noted that although there is adequate pastures, it is important for farmers to start making hay in preparation of the dry season to ensure that their animals are always in good condition,” she said.

Matabeleland North Department of Veterinary Services provincial officer Dr Polex Moyo concurred with Mrs Ngwabi suggesting that farmers should construct a number of pens for rotational purpose to avoid exposing animals to wet conditions.

“Farmers should construct a number of pens so as to ensure that their animals are not exposed to muddy surfaces when resting, to guard against germs. Muddy areas also expose animals to diseases such as foot rot. Frequent wetting of the skin combined with the bites of large flies can result in numerous cases of rain scald,” said Dr Moyo.

He said there was a need for farmers to regularly dose their animals against tick-borne diseases.

“There is a need for farmers to also constantly dose their animals against tick-borne diseases as well as ensuring that they dip regularly because during the rainy season there is likely to be an infestation of ticks and biting insects.

If possible farmers should use dipping chemicals that don’t attract flies. Farmers should also guard against fowl pox which is usually spread by mosquitoes. It is also most important to house goats under sheds because they are more susceptible to wet conditions,” he said.

A farmer from Sinkukwe Village in Gwanda District, Matabeleland South, Mrs Jollen Nyathi told the Sunday Business that she lost a number of sheep and goats from a suspected case of foot rot disease.

“Water is now too much such that it is sapping from the ground. I have lost seven sheep and my neighbour lost a whole kraal of sheep and some goats. We don’t know what to do now because these sheep and goats develop cracks in their feet, they lose their fur and the next thing they produce froth in their mouths and they die,” Mrs Nyathi said.

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