The Sunday News
Munyaradzi Musiiwa, Sunday News Reporter
LIVESTOCK farmers have shifted their focus to goat production whose population has since risen by 2,7 percent to reach close to 4 million between 2019 and 2020, a report has noted
According to the 2020/21 season first round of the crop and livestock assessment report, done by the Ministry of Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Resettlement, the national goat population increased by 2,7 percent from 3 868 402 in 2019 to 3 974 707 in 2020, sheep population increased by 27 percent from 547 696 in 2019 to 697 910 in 2020 while the national beef cattle herd increased by 0.64 percent from 5 443 770 in 2019 to 5 598 982 in 2020.
According to the report, livestock mortality has also dropped and is pinning hope on the good pastures following good rains the country received this season.
“Cattle herd mortality went down from 12 percent in 2019 to 4,2 percent in 2020. Goat and sheep mortality was reported to be 23 percent and 17 percent respectively. Diseases were the major causes of livestock mortalities. Calf, kid and lamb deaths are the biggest contributors to overall mortality,” reads the report.
According to the report the number of cattle that died due to drought dropped to 10 000 in 2020 from 66 088 the previous year.
The report also shows that the January disease which was the main contributor to cattle mortality was now under control.
“A total of 10 183 cattle succumbed to drought in 2020 compared to 66 088 cattle in 2019. The reduction was due to the Government and farmers improving pasture production and provision of subsidised commercial feeds in 17 districts by Partners across the country.
Farmers adhering to drought mitigation strategies and destocking their cattle so as to purchase survival rations for their breeding stock were more resilient to the effects of drought
“An estimated 23 000 cattle have been reported to have succumbed to theileriosis/January disease in 2020, however, the number decreased from 50 000 that was reported in 2019. Districts affected by the disease increased from 14 in 2019 to 25 districts in 2020. No reports of theileriosis have been made in the Matabeleland provinces,” reads the report.
Milk production in the country has also dropped by four percent as a result of the 2019/2020 drought impact and reduced demand due to Covid-19 restrictions.
“Total milk production dropped by four percent from 79 898 234 litres in 2019 to 76 697 177 litres in 2020 against a national target of 150 million litres. Reduction in milk production is attributed to 2019/2020 drought impact, unstable exchange rate regime during early 2020 when some farmers dried their animals due to unviable prices and reduced demand due to Covid-19 restrictions,” reads the report.
