Pastures improve as rains continue to pound

Nqobile Tshili and Sikhulekelani Moyo, Chronicle Writers

THE livestock sector in Zimbabwe is on a recovery path as pastures improve following recent rains, with Government urging farmers to vaccinate their animals against tick-borne diseases. 

January disease, a common and devastating tick-borne illness, poses a significant threat during the rainy season if preventive measures are not taken.

Government reported that 13 269 cattle were lost nationally in 2024 due to drought, with Matabeleland South, Matabeleland North and Masvingo being the worst-affected regions. The rainy season has replenished water bodies, reducing the distances livestock travel for water and improving grazing conditions.

Matabeleland North recorded 195 deaths last week and 3 398 over the whole year.

Matabeleland South had 6 988 deaths, Midlands 766, and Masvingo 1 929 with smaller losses in Mashonaland Central 55 and Mashonaland West 51, while Manicaland and Mashonaland East reported no cases.

The drought critically impacted grazing and water supply, leading to continued deaths from malnutrition and environmental hazards.

In addition to these challenges, some cattle were trapped in dried-up dams, and the chilling effects of the first rainfall of the present season have added further stress.

As rains continue to be received in most parts of the country, the Government is projecting that the country will have a better livestock season.

In an interview yesterday, the director for livestock production and development in the Ministry of Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development, Dr Sitokozile Sibanda, said the ministry recently conducted an assessment exercise which shows that the livestock condition is improving as pastures are also improving. 

“Our assessment has concluded that the pastures have improved since the start of the rainy season. The rains have seen a marked improvement in herbage quality due to the emergency of lush grass,” she said.

She, however, noted that in some communal areas despite the rains herbage quantity is still low but expected to improve as the season progresses.

“The livestock condition is ranging from fair to poor. Most of the animals especially in communal areas still have poor body condition which is expected to improve as the season progresses,” said Dr Sibanda.

She said while the drought had seen most cattle travelling long distances to access water, since the start of the rainy season most animals are moving less than 1km in most areas. Most animals are now getting their water from earth dams and roadside pools.

Dr Sibanda said to protect the national herd, the ministry has distributed the Presidential maize/sorghum silage inputs with planting ongoing while in other areas it has been completed.

She said while there are some positives in the state of animals, their prices are still very low in communal areas with prices ranging from US$150 to US$400 as their conditions have not improved.

“While pastures are improving there is no harm in farmers providing their animals with supplementary feed to improve their quality. Farmers should ensure that livestock is safeguarded from adverse weather conditions, especially regarding housing structures which should ensure that livestock is protected from heat waves and flash floods,” said Dr Sibanda.

She urged farmers to improve the ventilation and raise floors for small stock while kraals should be established in drained areas to prevent transmission of diseases. 

“Farmers are being encouraged to continue planting pastures and silage as a drought resilience measure. Cattle kraals need to be established on well-drained soils to avoid muddy conditions which can cause disease transmissions like hoof rot or mastitis and also increase the risk of physical injury,” said Dr Sibanda.

She said farmers should dose their animals and consistently dip them to prevent tick-borne diseases and internal parasites.

Farmers are also encouraged to vaccinate against other infectious diseases such as lumpy skin disease, anthrax, blackleg, and Newcastle disease for poultry.

During the dry season, livestock may have picked up internal parasites like tapeworms, which can proliferate when animals are undernourished.

Agriculture and Rural Development Advisory Services (Ardas) chief director Mr Leonard Munamati said following a tough agricultural year due to the El Nino-induced drought, the ministry is expecting a bounce back better even in livestock management.

“The Government implemented a range of measures that successfully protected the national herd of 5,7 million cattle. Remarkably, only 13 269 losses were recorded, showcasing the effectiveness of these measures,” he said.

Government provided supplementary feed and drilled boreholes to improve water sources for livestock in the past year to mitigate against the effects of the drought.

Mr Munamati said going forward the focus will be on developing drought-tolerant livestock breeds through climate-smart breeding strategies to build resilience against dry conditions.

“The initiatives such as continued borehole drilling and establishment of drought mitigation centres will strengthen resilience in livestock production. The Government will also promote household feed and fodder banks and foster public-private partnerships to boost investments in the sector,” he said.

“Capacity-building initiatives will equip farmers with skills to improve production and care for their livestock.”

Matabeleland South provincial livestock specialist, Mr Hatitye Zondai, noted significant improvement in the province, with reduced poverty-related livestock deaths.

“Dams are starting to harvest water after receiving some rains. The province is now recording low poverty deaths. Insiza, Gwanda, Matobo, Bulilima and Mangwe were the hardest-hit districts,” he said.

“The rainfall distribution across all districts is exceptionally good. Rivers and dams have made significant flows, and grazing is significantly increasing.”

Mr Zondai said only three districts managed to record poverty deaths. He said for affected animals to regain their normal weight depends on several factors which include the type of breed, age and health status.

“Most animals in the province may take longer than expected to recover. Lactating and pregnant animals will take longer to recover while age, breed, and health status also determine recovery. Younger, healthier animals tend to recover faster,” he said. 

“Generally, with adequate nutrition and care, animals can regain their normal weight in 20-25 days for sheep and goats and 25-35 days for cattle. However, this timeline may vary depending on individual circumstances.”

Mr Zondai said there is a need for high-quality feed, clean water, and vigilant health monitoring to support livestock recovery.