The Sunday News
Shepias Dube Business Reporter
THE Umguza farming community is in panic mode after scores of chickens in the area mysteriously died in a suspected case of the deadly Newcastle disease. In an interview on Monday, a poultry farmer from Wollendale Farm, Mr Zebaddiah Ngwenya said he lost 74 birds in the past two weeks. “I had a huge dream for my chicken project but as I speak right now everything is in tatters as I have lost 74 of my road runners to a strange disease,” said Mr Ngwenya.
He said he suspected the disease to be Newcastle because of the symptoms he observed.
Mr Ngwenya said his chickens showed signs of diarrhoea, mucus and ruffled feathers which is reminiscent of the Newcastle disease.
The birds also had low appetite for both food and water.
Mr Ngwenya said the sudden death of his chickens had halted his target to increase his traditional chickens to 1 000 by the end of this year.
However, he could not reveal the number of chickens he currently has.
Another chicken farmer from Woodville who only identified herself as Mrs Moyo said she recently lost more than 50 layers under similar circumstances.
The veterinary services department provincial head for Matabeleland North, Dr Pollex Moyo, could not deny nor confirm that there was an outbreak of the Newcastle disease in Umguza district.
“It is difficult to ascertain whether the chickens succumbed to Newcastle or some other diseases because the farmer in question did not bring his birds for laboratory test,” said Dr Moyo.
He urged farmers to bring such cases to the attention of the veterinary services so that they get necessary information and proper diagnosis.
Recently the Bulawayo Agricultural Society administrator Mrs Natalie Adlam said she had received information indicating that there was a deadly disease which was claiming a number of chickens in and around Bulawayo.
Meanwhile, Zimbabwe Farmers Union (ZFU) president Mr Abdul Nyathi urged the veterinary department to react swiftly and establish what was causing the high mortality in chickens in the area.
“As farmers we are worried with these reports and the onus is on the veterinary department to quickly investigate the situation at Wollendale Farm,” said Mr Nyathi.
He said Newcastle was a deadly disease which could cripple the poultry sector in the region if not properly managed.
Newcastle is an airborne viral disease which cannot be treated but can be easily prevented if chickens are vaccinated with the lasota or Newcastle vaccine.
An average bottle of the vaccine can be administered to about 1 000 birds.
