ZRP introduces universal animal branding irons

07 Aug, 2016 - 00:08 0 Views
ZRP introduces universal animal branding irons

The Sunday News

branding

Dumisani Nsingo, Senior Farming Reporter
THE Zimbabwe Republic Police has introduced universal branding irons to be used in charring marks on livestock as a way of dealing with rampant poaching especially in rural areas.

Police National Anti-stock theft co-ordinator Assistant Commissioner Erasmus Makodza said law enforcers came up with an initiative to introduce the universal branding irons which consist of detachable iron cast alphabets after realising that most communal farmers could not afford or were reluctant to have crafted metal to inscribe their animals.

Animals, which are prone to theft are mostly cattle and donkeys.

A branding iron is used for branding, pressing a heated metal shape against an object or livestock with the intention of leaving a mark.

“During our (anti-stock theft) campaigns we realised that communities are saying they don’t have enough money to make the branding irons but they have got the Certificates (of Registration of a Brand). So we came up with the idea of having a universal branding iron.

“So far we have made 10 universal branding irons with each province receiving one. What we want as our target for 2017 is to ensure that all the country’s livestock is branded. The policing that we need to do now is being proactive, we don’t want a situation whereby as police we are always chasing after cases or criminals,” said Asst Comm Makodza.

He said 95 percent of cattle stolen in communities were without brands.

“Our provincial Anti-stock theft co-ordinators will go to each dip tank together with officials from the Registrar’s Office and the Department of Veterinary to mobilise the stock in communities and ensure that the branding exercise is done. We are not going back on that, we are going to ensure that by December 2017 all our stocks are branded,” said Asst Comm Makodza.

He said police were also lobbying for a legislation that prevents the sale and slaughter of cattle that are not branded. Police want the law to be operational by December next year.

“Of late we have realised a slight increase in the number of stock that are stolen. There is a slight increase compared to the period of January to July last year and the same period this year.

‘‘We are experiencing cross border stock theft, that’s why you saw our Government met together with the Mozambique Government. There were resolutions that were adopted, some of them were that all the cattle near the borders should be branded, which is why as a country we are also saying lets have all our stock branded,” said Asst Comm Makodza.

Bubi district administrator Mr Tapiwa Zivovoyi said his area of jurisdiction was prone to cattle rustlers due to its proximity to Bulawayo.

“As from January to date we have lost about 350 cattle to theft and that’s a big number. This is largely to do with the issue of proximity to Bulawayo where most of the syndicates are orchestrated.

“This district also borders with a number of districts and as such it facilitates an easy gateway. One of our disaster management preparedness is to mitigate against livestock theft,” said Mr Zivovoyi.

The Member of Parliament for Bubi Constituency and Minister in Vice-President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s Office Cde Clifford Cameroon Sibanda said there was a slight decrease in the number of livestock theft cases in his area largely owing to the involvement of police in their efforts to curb such crimes.

“There has been some significant drop in the number of livestock theft cases largely due to an increased police awareness programmes and visibility. However, we are still witnessing a large number of unclaimed or stray cattle.

“We want to eradicate this notion of stray cattle because there is nothing like that. Those cattle will obviously be belonging to someone. To a larger extent those type of cattle end up being improperly sold and in most cases for a song,” said Cde Sibanda.

@DNsingo

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