THE Government is set to officially launch the ‘national war against January disease’ at Venice dip tank in Mhondoro Ngezi, Mashonaland West, on Wednesday as the push to eradicate the pest responsible for the deaths of hundreds of thousands of cattle in recent years escalates.
Department of Veterinary Services (DVS) chief director Dr Josphat Nyika yesterday revealed that the programme launch would be held on Wednesday at Venice dip tank in Mhondoro Ngezi with dipping of cattle expected to start as early as 5am.
“The programme has been running since January 1, but we had not officially launched it.
“Of late there has been cases of the disease recorded hence the urgency with which we are treating the matter. We do not want to give ticks a chance to recover from the battering they have taken from our programmes so far.
“They must not be allowed to take advantage of the current wet weather to re-group and cause more damage than they already have,” said Dr Nyika.
More than 65 percent of cattle deaths in Zimbabwe are attributed to tick-borne diseases including January disease with more than 500, 000 cattle valued at more than US$150 million having succumbed to the disease between 2018 and 2022.
The DVS has been moving around the country carrying out awareness campaigns to educate farmers on the need to dip animals so that they can fully realise the economic value of their animals.
“Farmers are heeding the call to dip their animals and the numbers have been impressive and we continue to urge them to dip animals as prescribed by the law and the department,” said Dr Nyika stressing how dipping religiously was key in the fight against tick-borne diseases.
All veterinary extension officers will hold January disease awareness meetings at each dip tank in the next few months with records of all the farmers who would have attended the January disease awareness meetings required to be submitted weekly to the department.
“At the meetings all farmers will receive information on January disease and its epidemiology and the importance of intensive dipping,” said Dr Nyika.
All January disease affected areas will be receiving pour on dips till end of May 2023 supplemented by 2kgs-4kgs of tick grease over this period.
Dr Nyika added: “Effective dipping together with other measure will result in the reduction of cattle mortalities and will promote higher production, productivity and profitability as envisaged in the Livestock and Recovery Growth Plan.”
Dipping remains the most cost effective method of controlling ticks and tick-borne related diseases.
Therefore, to secure the country’s herd, the Ministry of Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development initiated the Dip Tank Resuscitation Blitz Programme to improve basic dip tank infrastructure throughout the country.
“There are over 2 900 dip tanks, which are functional and we intend to add another 1 000 this year because we believe that is the most sustainable way of containing January disease and other tick-borne related diseases,” Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development permanent secretary Dr John Basera said recently.
The Government’s livestock recovery growth plan is targeting to increase the country’s herd from the current 5, 5 million to 6 million by 2023 as efforts to restore the national herd gather momentum. – The Herald
