The ManicaPost
Samuel Kadungure Farming Reporter
THE current climatic condition demands all livestock farmers to strategically destock non-breeding stock so that they remain with a manageable herd which can be fed without challenges.
Resource poor farmers in natural regions three, four and five are suffering severe effects of arguably the worst drought in decades as lack of rainfall and scorching heat left their animals dead and caused pastures to dry up.
The severe weather vagaries have destroyed livelihoods of farmers in Chipinge, Buhera, Chimanimani and Mutare districts, most of whom did not till their land last season because it was not worthwhile.
Two organisations in Buhera and Chipinge are working around the clock to assist farmers to evade the effects of El Nino which are being felt, especially on large ruminants like cattle and donkeys, whose body condition has drastically decreased.
Goal Zimbabwe official in Buhera, Mr Tinashe Tsepete, said livestock body condition had deteriorated and the organisation was distributing beef survival meal and repairing boreholes in seven wards where it donated bulls to improve the breeding stock.
“The livestock body condition is deteriorating, and (though) water is still available, as Goal Zimbabwe, we are rehabilitating boreholes for both domestic water use and watering livestock,” he said.
“We have distributed beef survival meals to all 39 bull handlers in the seven wards. The animals are supplemented in the late afternoon. We have also distributed urea fertiliser to the same bull handlers for use during the ammoniation process,” said Mr Tsepete.
“We also have procured materials for the rehabilitation of 20 boreholes and two deep wells in the seven wards to ensure that water is available for both people and livestock,” said Mr Tsepete.
The project is now working on improved nutrition for livestock and is collaborating with the International Livestock Research Institute to promote the growing of legumes such as lablab, lucina and velvet bean as supplementary feed.
This will reduce the number of days required for pen fattening and increase the amount of money that farmers can get from the sale of cattle. The project is also working with Surrey Meats to establish an irrigated pasture scheme to augment the natural grazing.
Chipinge Livestock Development Trust is working with farmers in hard hit areas like Tanganda, Musani, Kondo, Maronga, Chibuwe, Masimbe, Chiso, Gumira, Rimbi, Matezwa, Mwangazi, Manzvire, and Chisavanye to save livestock from death.
“As a drought mitigatory strategy, we are selling subsidised survival stock feeds at various centres within the district and we buying cattle in a bid to speed up destocking initiatives. We offer good prices upon live animal grading by Government specialists. Don’t keep your beef animal to die later through starvation,” said CLDT in a statement.
“Making water available for livestock to drink is one of the greatest interventions that the Trust is working on. Water is the basic ingredient of life, contributing about three quarters of the animal body, so must be always available. Our livestock in areas like Mabhiza, Madhuku, Mwanyisa, Rimayi, and Manzvire, among other areas travel long distances to get water. This must be reduced to enhance livestock productivity,” said the organisation.
“We are concerned with the deterioration of the body condition of livestock, and we are involved in two projects. First, we cut grass, bail and distribute it to most critically affected wards at a low cost and secondly we buy and sell beef survival meal at an affordable cost. The stock feed has been bought and distributed in the following areas Kondo (100 bags), Chibuwe (100 bags), Rimbi (100 bags), Manzvire (100 bags), Chisumbanje (100 bags), Mabhiza (50 bags) and Vheneka (24 bags) at a cost of $13 per 50kg bag,” said CLDT.
CLDT said livestock farmers must be exposed to research, innovations and new technology in order to arrest shocks which threaten to erode their productive assets and wealth.
“We are also promoting selling of livestock and we assist our membership in market linkages. Our initiatives as an organisation are intended to save the livestock, and improve household disposable incomes by selling profitably to the abattoirs. This way enhances availability of cash within our communities, and will be able to purchase cheap grain from high rainfall areas.”
