The Sunday News
Dumisani Nsingo, Senior Farming Reporter
THE Department of Livestock and Veterinary Services has urged farmers to regularly dip and dose their livestock so as to guard against diseases prevalent during the rainy season.
Matabeleland South provincial veterinary officer Dr Enat Mdlongwa said the rains which were received in various parts of the country last month and the beginning of this month led to improved vegetation, resulting in the infestation of ticks, leaving most livestock susceptible to tick-borne diseases.
“At this time of the year there are a lot of animal ticks, ticks’ activities are very high. We therefore, urge our farmers to bring all their animals for dipping every week so that we reduce ticks and tickborne diseases such as heart water and gall sickness, which are prevalent in this part of the country,” he said.
Tick-borne diseases are diseases which are spread between animals by the bite of an infected tick with the important being heart water, red water and gall-sickness. Bulawayo veterinary officer Dr Mbuso Moyo concurred with Dr Mdlongwa’s sentiments, further hinting that farmers risk losing their animals to various diseases which are prevalent during the wet season.
“It’s important for farmers to note that we are coming from a difficult period (drought) and we are going into another one where there will be more ticks and vectors. So, we are likely to have an increase in tick-borne diseases and there are also vectors such as flies, tsetse flies and biting insects also spread diseases. Biting insects cause diseases such as Lumpy Skin and Sankoba. It is also important again to note that endoparasites also multiply during this period,” he said.
Endoparasites are parasites such as a tapeworm, that live inside its host. These internal parasites are the most common cause of diarrhoea, weight loss, anemia, poor production, poor reproduction, and general ill health in animals. Dr Moyo said farmers should come up with dipping and dosing programmes so as to avert diseases.
“Thus, farmers should have a proper dipping and dosing programme in place. As has been the norm over the years communal farmers have to pool their resources together and ensure they dip their animals at least once a week,” he said.
Dr Moyo said the improved condition of cattle owing to the recovery graze and availability of water should spur farmers to sell their animals so as to realise better returns.
“This is also the best time for farmers to be selling their cattle to realise meaningful returns because in most areas most of the cattle are in good condition. They should also get rid of their steers so as to save graze. Naturally we have run out of grazing land due to the effects of climate change,” he said.
@DNsingo
