Farmers urge decentralisation of animal testing centres
By Gift Chanda in Namwala
Sat 07 Apr. 2012, 13:29 CAT
FARMERS have called for the decentralisation of animal testing centres to boost the livestock sector growth. During the first ever livestock field day held in Namwala on Wednesday, farmers condemned the current situation where testing of animals for diseases is only done in Lusaka.
They observed that since the outbreak of the contagious bovine pleuropneumonia (CBPP) animal disease, the testing of blood samples for disease screening before cattle is moved from one district to another is still done in Lusaka at Balmoral, a situation they said was hampering the growth of the country's beef sector.
"There has been some progress in disease control but at a huge cost to the farmers," said Zambia National Farmers Union president Jervis Zimba, who spoke on behalf of farmers.
"Farmers have to bring their blood samples at their own cost to Lusaka for testing…this has been a major cost and hurdle. But going forward for the livestock sector to be vibrant, there is need to decentralise the testing of animals to bring the services closer to the farmers in the districts or regions as a matter of urgency."
Zimba further noted that livestock theft was another challenge hampering the growth of the sector, especially the beef industry.
"Our farmers continue to live in fear of losing animals, which is their main source of livelihood and store of wealth, not to mention that even their lives are at the mercy of cattle rustlers," Zimba said.
"We would like to appeal to the government to put in place legislation which should make cases of cattle rustling to become non-bailable offence. The government should introduce stiffer penalties such as ‘any vehicle caught with stolen carcass' should be forfeited to the state. This would go a long way in deterring cattle theft."
He said the sector was still in its infancy and required support to develop and grow.
Zimba also noted that the increased maize bran exports had pushed up stock feed prices.
"The farmers are facing difficulties in accessing maize bran for supplementary feeding of animals. If this situation is not addressed, Zambia could become a net importer of beef instead of increasing local production…this problem requires a permanent solution from the government," said Zimba.
"The farmers are also concerned that there is little support towards research for the livestock sector development."
And agriculture deputy minister, Brigadier General Benson Kapaya said his ministry had formulated a draft Livestock Development Policy to guide effective implementation of priority programmes and activities needed to fast track the development of the sub sector in Zambia.
Brig Gen Kapaya said the government had embarked on programmes to establish livestock service centres in all districts to improve service delivery and establish breeding centres to increase stock at affordable prices to farming communities.
He also explained that the livestock development policy would provide a secure and conducive environment for production, marketing and trade.
Brig Gen Kapaya said the policy would also promote diversification of livestock production base, build and maintain national capacity to deal with adverse climatic variations, disease outbreaks and other emergencies.
Labels: CATTLE DISEASE, DECENTRALIZATION, JERVIS ZIMBA
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Vets agree to form regulatory council
By Gift Chanda
Tue 06 Mar. 2012, 11:00 CAT
VETERINARY practitioners in the country have agreed to form a council to regulate their profession.
During a Veterinary Association of Zambia (VAZ) Extraordinary Annual General Meeting held last Friday, the veterinary practitioners ratified the VAZ constitution to accommodate the veterinary and para veterinary Act, which would see the establishment of the Veterinary Council of Zambia.
According to minutes of the meeting attended by over 100 veterinary doctors and para veterinarians drawn from the public, private and academic circles, the formation of the council had been necessitated by the influx of foreign vets operating in the country at the expense of local experts.
"It is not possible, for a example, for Zambian vets to go and operate in South Africa without going through rigorous exams and other procedures but the converse does not hold here," the minutes read.
On the new structure of the merged Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock, the veterinary experts present said the issue of them reporting to junior officers who were in the positions of district as well as provincial co-coordinators would not be feasible.
They said merging of the two ministries had led to a bulk of the agriculture funding going towards Farmer Input Support Programme and the Food Reserve Agency (FRA), masking the livestock and fisheries components.
The meeting proposed that separate divisions run by permanent secretaries would suffice.
Agriculture permanent secretary Dr David Shamulenge, who is also a veterinarian and a former Provincial Veterinary Officer of North Western Province, hailed the planned formation of the council.
He said the move would instill a sense of pride in the profession.
Dr Shamulenge also urged Veterinary Services director Dr Joseph Mubanga to be conversant with the PF manifesto so that he is able to articulate PF's policies to his juniors who are the implementers of government programs.
Labels: CATTLE DISEASE
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Cattle disease breaks out in Itezhi-tezhi
By Fredrick Mwansa in Itezhi-tezhi
Fri 17 Feb. 2012, 12:01 CAT
LUMPY skin disease, a cattle disease which causes body weakness and miscarriage in cows, has reportedly broken out in Itezhi-tezhi district. Chief Shimbizhi said many areas in his chiefdom had been affected by the disease which is caused by lumpy skin virus.
He urged the government to quickly control the disease before more animals die.
He said medicines for these diseases were not readily available and that when available, most farmers could not afford them.
Itezhi-tezhi district veterinary officer Dr Shepherd Phiri said lack of vaccines had worsened cases of lumpy skin, a disease that has affected almost all districts of Southern Province.
Dr Phiri said vaccines were difficult to acquire because the epidemic was unexpected and rare.
Lumpy skin disease is an acute infectious disease of cattle not among the list of diseases of significant economic importance and endemic in Zambia and as such vaccines are not readily available.
The disease causes the infected female animals to lose fertility and have low milk production, but has no effect on humans.
Dr Phiri however warned residents against eating meat from animals that have died due to the disease as it was possible that they could contract other diseases.
Meanwhile, the government has set aside about K700 million for cattle restocking programme in Central Province this year.
Central Province permanent secretary Edwin Zumbunu disclosed this when he visited Muchende Utuba farm in chief Shimbizhi's chiefdom in Itezhi-tezhi district on Wednesday.
And Muchende Utuba proprietor Sydney Kamano appealed to the government to subsidize lumpy skin disease vaccines.
Labels: CATTLE DISEASE
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14 cattle die after grazing poisoned grass
Saturday, 03 December 2011 19:39
Sunday Mail Reporter
Fourteen cattle died in Beatrice recently after grazing on poisoned grass. The cattle, belonging to four A1 farmers from Kinfouns Farm, were grazing near a tobacco field owned by a neighbouring Chester farmer.
A veterinarian, Dr Clinton Kadzera, confirmed the incident and said seven of the dead cattle belonged to one farmer who had four more beasts that were still sick. He said tests conducted on the carcasses showed that the cattle had consumed poison.
“An A1 farmer, Mr Honour Mudzimba, reported to the Beatrice Veterinary Services that he found seven of his cattle dead last week.
“The liver and intestines of the carcasses that were sampled proved that the cattle had consumed poison,” said Dr Kadzera.
He said the report was made by only one farmer, but confirmed that at least four others, who had not made a formal report, lost their cattle to the poison.
Dr Kadzera said about 57 cattle were suspected to have consumed the poison.
The cattle are said to have grazed close to a tobacco field that had been sprayed for insects the previous day.
In an interview, Mr Mudzimba said his loss was astronomical. “I have lost a fortune; this is all I have worked for in my life. I am depressed,” he said.
“I worked hard to have these cattle and what do I get?
“There is no one to blame, it is not the tobacco farm owner’s fault, we should have made sure the cattle had safe pastures,” said Cde Mudzimba.
Labels: CATTLE DISEASE, TOBACCO
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Fear of anthrax in Makuti
Saturday, 05 November 2011 22:36
By Tafadzwa Chiremba recently in MAKUTI
MORE than 40 animals in game parks along the Zambezi Valley have died over the past two months following a suspected anthrax outbreak that has also affected Zambia where about 230 people reportedly contracted the disease.
Thirty-three hippopotamuses, eight lions, two buffaloes, impalas and birds were found dead on the Zimbabwean side after the flooding Zambezi River subsided. The Parks and Wildlife Management Authority of Zimbabwe has since dispatched samples to the University of Zimbabwe Veterinary Services Department and South Africa for tests.
The test results could not be obtained by last week. The director-general of the authority, Mr Vitalis Chadenga, said preliminary indications showed that anthrax could be responsible for the deaths.
“Indications are that the animals died of anthrax. We are working with the University of Zimbabwe Veterinary Services Department in conducting tests,” he said.
Rangers discovered the first carcasses in September. More were later found along the valley where they are suspected to have died unnoticed.
Initially, reports suggested poachers were poisoning drinking pans in order to get elephant tusks. However, the giant mammals that died were not dismembered.
When The Sunday Mail visited Hambakwe Forest near Makuti, about 77km from Kariba, last week, elephant carcasses were strewn all over.
Several vultures that had fed on the contaminated flesh lay next to them. Most of the hippos were found dead in the Zambezi River.
Mr Chadenga said the deaths showed distinct traces of the deadly anthrax disease.
“The pattern of deaths is very much suggestive of anthrax bacterial mortality,” he said.
“Mortality appeared to have followed soon after floods in the Zambezi River subsided. Laboratory tests are under way in this country and in South Africa.”
Last month, reports from Zambia said more than 230 suspected cases were detected in humans. All the patients either ate or touched diseased hippo meat.
The source of the outbreak was believed to be a population of hippos in the Luangwa River where 62 animals died after showing signs of bacillus anthracis infection.
Laboratory results were positive.
The authorities promptly cordoned off Chama district where the cases were reported.
Apart from confiscating and destroying the hippo meat and carcasses, they also increased surveillance and community education.
Anthrax is a deadly disease that is caused by a bacterium known as bacillus anthracis.
It usually infects wild and domesticated herbivorous mammals that ingest or inhale dormant endospores formed from the bacterium.
Carnivores living in the same environment may contract the disease by consuming infected animals. Diseased animals can also spread anthrax to humans through direct contact. Some forms of the disease respond to antibiotic treatment, according to health experts.
Labels: CATTLE DISEASE, GAME PARKS, ZAMBEZI, ZAWA
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Zim, Botswana team up to fight foot and mouth disease
Tuesday, 26 July 2011 02:00
Agriculture Reporter
Mechanisation and Irrigation Development Minister Joseph Made, yesterday said Zimbabwe and Botswana recently signed a Memorandum of Understanding that would see the two countries jointly fighting foot and mouth disease.
"In the initial agreement, the Botswana government had agreed to give us 20 000 cattle but with the current progress we have made in implementing the project, the number looks set to rise to 50 000," Minister Made said.
He said Zimbabwe had advanced abattoir that were not being used by the CSC.
"This shows the regional integration that as Sadc in times of need, we assist each other and this is one of the best things that has happened to us to get the livestock sector going again," he said.
The cattle deal comes courtesy of the credit lines the Botswana government availed to Zimbabwe to help revive its cattle industry and the rest of the value chain components. Minister Made said the country was also anticipating reviving the canning industry, which had been idle for long.
"This is a clear demonstration of the creation of a regional market. I expect the CSC board of directors to work towards resuscitating the beef industry.
"They must plough back the profits generated from this project into the livestock sector even at the communal level." He said there were calls that some of the cattle being imported from Botswana should be slaughtered at the Masvingo, Marondera and Chinhoyi abattoir too.
"We now have the opportunity to utilise the grand CSC infrastructure that has been lying idle.
He said Botswana's objective was to look at opportunities presented in Sadc, where the countries jointly clean areas of foot and mouth disease to nurture a vibrant beef industry in both countries.
The deal also includes the vaccination of cattle within 40 kilometres on both sides of the border.
"This project has massive benefits to the farmers in Matabeleland South and North who have had their cattle vaccinated. "So far 145 637 cattle from the communal, A1 and small-scale sectors were vaccinated between July 11 and July 18, something that has not happened before," he said.
In some districts there was 100 percent vaccination, which showed farmers supported Government's efforts to eliminate the disease.
Vaccination continues for the next 24 months.
"Our intention is to reach a position in which we have a clean environment for beef production.
"We want to emulate Botswana's example of paddocking certain areas adjacent game parks to prevent unrestricted interaction between livestock and wildlife, suspected vectors of FMD," he added.
Labels: BOTSWANA, CATTLE DISEASE, ZIMBABWE
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Botswana to export cattle to Zimbabwe
Sunday, 10 July 2011 01:09 Agriculture
From Bulawayo Bureau
AN outbreak of foot and mouth disease (FMD) in Botswana has forced the neighbouring country’s government to export more than 20 000 head of cattle from infected zones to Zimbabwe for direct slaughter and to donate 600 000 doses to vaccinate the Zimbabwean herd, it has been learnt.
Minister of Agriculture, Mechanisation and Irrigation Development Dr Joseph Made and his Botswana counterpart, Ms Christiaan de Graaf, are expected to officially sign the deal tomorrow in Bulawayo.
According to reports from Botswana, the neighbouring government suspended the slaughter of 23 000 cattle in areas affected by FMD and will instead sell cattle from these areas to Zimbabwe.
The affected areas are zones six and seven in the North East and Bobirwa respectively.
The planned sale of the cattle to Zimbabwe was confirmed by chief agriculture information officer Ms Boikhutso Rabasha in a telephone interview on Monday.
“I can confirm that the cattle will be sold to Zimbabwe once the necessary logistics have been concluded,” said Ms
Rabasha, who said she was not sure of the total number of cattle affected.
She did, however, confirm that the Botswana government had initially intended to kill 21 000 cattle in zone six and a further 2 000 in zone seven.
Ms Rabasha said only vaccinated cattle would be sold to Zimbabwe.
Matabeleland North provincial veterinary officer Dr Polex Moyo confirmed that an agreement had been reached by the two countries and was only awaiting official endorsement and allayed fears of infected cattle finding their way into the country.
“We will be having a meeting with officials from Botswana who will be accompanied by their minister and we expect the deal to be signed between their minister and ours on Monday (tomorrow).
“The cattle that will come into the country are not infected but are from an affected area and Botswana has even promised to assist us in vaccinating our cattle,” he said.
Dr Moyo said Botswana had a policy which approved the slaughter of infected cattle and those in affected areas largely because of their strong fiscus.
“Botswana cannot slaughter their infected or affected cattle in Gaborone because the abattoirs there are meant for export and their abattoirs in Francistown don’t have the capacity to handle the large numbers,” he said.
The imported cattle would be slaughtered at the Cold Storage Company’s (CSC) abattoirs. CSC’s state-of-the-art Bulawayo abattoir is probably the best slaughtering plant in sub-Sahara Africa.
Before the demise of the company its sophisticated and integrated facilities which included abattoirs in Chinhoyi, Marondera and Masvingo had a slaughter capacity of up to 600 000 head of cattle per year.
The Botswana government has promised to compensate its farmers P1 700 per killed animal in an effort to eradicate the disease.
Botswana, which believes the outbreak of FMD emanated from Zimbabwe, fears that if it does not intervene and assist its neighbour, 200 000 cattle would be threatened with infection in zone six and the potential spread of the disease to other areas, which would be accompanied by huge social and economic consequences.
Already vaccination of cattle against FMD in areas close to Botswana has begun under the supervision of Botswana veterinary officials, with an order of 600 000 doses being made by Zimbabwe and 200 000 of the doses had already been supplied by the Botswana Vaccine Institute.
Agriculture, especially livestock rearing, is one of the main contributors to the Botswana economy.
FMD is an infectious and sometimes fatal viral disease that affects cloven-hoofed animals, including domestic and wild bovids. The virus causes a high fever for two or three days, followed by blisters inside the mouth and on the feet that may rupture and cause lameness.
FMD is a severe plague for animal farming, since it is highly infectious and can be spread by infected animals through aerosols, through contact with contaminated farming equipment, vehicles, clothing or feed, and by domestic and wild predators. It has economic consequences in that the affected country cannot export to another, especially the EU.
Labels: BOTSWANA, CATTLE, CATTLE DISEASE
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Govt to focus on operationalisation of livestock disease-free zones
By Kabanda Chulu in Kitwe
Fri 28 May 2010, 07:50 CAT
LIVESTOCK and fisheries minister Bradford Machila has said the government will this year focus on the operationalisation of the livestock disease-free zones and establishment of fish breeding and distribution centres in high potential zones.
In his message to mark the 53rd Copperbelt Mining, Agricultural and Commercial Show (CMACS), Machila stated that this year’s theme 2010: a new decade with renewed hope was appropriate since the creation of his ministry had given hope to the development of the livestock and fisheries industry.
“Last year, the ministry embarked on the creation of livestock disease-free zones in Lusaka, Central and parts of the Copperbelt provinces which have been identified as suitable areas to begin this venture and this will be the main thrust in 2010; to operationalise the livestock disease-free zones, establishment of livestock breeding and service centres, rehabilitation of camp houses for extension officers and procurement of transport,” he stated.
He stated that the Fisheries Department would focus on the establishment of fish breeding and distribution centres in high-potential zones.
“In addition, fisheries co-management structures will be strengthened for the sustenance of fisheries resources and enhancing public-private partnerships,” stated Machila.
“Rehabilitation of a security wall at Mwekera in Kitwe and rehabilitation of infrastructure at Ibenga Fish Farm in Mpongwe are some of the strides being taken for the provision of fingerlings on the Copperbelt.”
Labels: CATTLE DISEASE
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Cattle farmers in Mazabuka bemoan animal dipping fee
By Henry Chibulu in Mazabuka
Mon 08 Mar. 2010, 06:30 CAT
CATTLE farmers in Munjile ward in chief Hanjalika’s area in Mazabuka are reportedly refusing to dip their animals on grounds that the dipping fee is high.
The dipping fee has been pegged at K4,000.
The farmers also complained of the long distance to the nearest dip tank in Chitongo, about five kilometres from Munjile.
Ward councillor, Enock Hachiwa disclosed this during a pit latrines celebration and open defecation free zone public meeting organised by AFRICARE.
Hachiwa said farmers instead wanted to dip their animals using free facilities from the Ministry of Livestock and Fisheries.
Hachiwa told Mazabuka mayor Shadreck Mwiinga and district administrative officer Harriet Kawina who represented district commissioner Tyson Hamaamba that animals had continued to die from livestock diseases because of the farmers’ negative attitude.
He said unless the cattle farmers changed their negative attitude, the cattle population would continue to be threatened in the area.
Hachiwa regretted that all the animals donated by World Vision Zambia and the Catholic Church under the restocking programme had died due to livestock diseases.
But Kawina told the meeting that the government was disappointed that farmers were failing to dip their animals on account that the K4,000 dipping fee were unaffordable.
She said there was need for the local leadership and the veterinary department to sensitise farmers on the need to take cattle farming as a business venture.
Kawina said the dipping of animals was not a responsibility of the government but farmers.
The meeting was also attended by Mazabuka town clerk Ekan Chingangu.
And some pupils in Munjile ward have stopped going to school for fear of being swept away by strong current in some streams that have become flooded due to heavy rains being experienced in the area.
According to a joint statement by 11 village headmen from chief Hanjalika, pupils in the affected areas stopped going to school about two weeks ago because Magoye river, Ngwezi and Kabolongola streams were flooded and posed a threat to people’s lives.
The headmen explained that pupils from Tundwe, Mapondo, Potela, Ngwezi and Kaumuzya settlements could not attend class at Chitongo, Kataba and Munjile basic schools.
They urged the government to come to the children’s rescue by constructing bridges to enable them to attend classes throughout the year.
The headmen also asked the government to prepare relief food for people in the area because of the anticipated poor harvest caused by the partial drought experienced.
The 11 village headmen are Hangoma, Hantuku, Hakasuba, Buumba, Malambo and Tundaile.
Others are Chitanda, Mweemba, Hachaba, Moya and Namausha.
Labels: CATTLE DISEASE, USER FEES
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Pemba MP explains Zambia’s food deficits
By Sututu Katundu
Wed 10 Feb. 2010, 10:50 CAT
PEMBA UPND member of parliament David Matongo has said the difficulty with
implementing the agriculture policy from theory is precisely the reason the country still has a food deficit.Matongo said apart from the weather patterns, the
marketing, pricing of agricultural produce and delivery of farming inputs had made parts of the country unproductive as far as food security was concerned.
“How do you deliver seed and fertiliser in the middle of November?” Matongo asked when he featured on Joy FM’s The People That Matter programme last week.
He said previously there were depots in the rural areas where fertiliser, seed and other inputs could be picked from and once the maize was ready, payments were made at those same spots.
However, he said the MMD government introduced a promissory note through the current marketing system.
Matongo observed that the cordon line between Angola and Zambia had been broken and animal diseases were spreading back and forth.
He said there had never been a serious attempt to eradicate cattle diseases particularly in the southern parts of Western Province and the diseases had spread to other parts.
Matongo wondered why the government could not plan ahead to curb hunger since the country was not food secure and a lot of money was usually spent on procuring food in times of a deficit.
“How come we have popularised situations like relief food to people who never liked relief food?” he asked.
He urged the government to deal with cattle diseases effectively. Matongo said the government had been paying lip service to food security, cattle diseases control, marketing of animals and agriculture products.
And Matongo said the decentralisation programme had not been properly implemented.
He wondered why monies allocated in Lusaka for Mazabuka should first be taken to Livingstone before they could finally reach the area.
“What happens to permanent secretaries who are highly graded? Why appoint district commissioners if they are not able to handle money at that level? If you put party cadres as permanent secretaries what would you expect at the expense of well-trained civil servants? The directors will simply undermine them and this is what is happening now,” Matongo said.
He advised leaders to respect those with opposing views and be open to discussion.
He said the Constitution was just a piece of paper that guided the country in terms of governance but leaders should have the will to lead their people.
Matongo said the Constitution was not a catalyst for economic development, saying the country could have the best Constitution in the world but it could be rendered worthless if they spent more than they earned.
He hoped the new constitution could help limit certain excesses of politicians and that the people given responsibility should be true to the provision of service to Zambians.
“Their faith in that is what I believe can pull us through out of hunger and lack of shelter, lack of decent drinking water and a small effective government in a decentralised fashion where the man in Kaputa, the man in Choma, the people elsewhere will see the budgetary value of government revenue and expenditure at base,” he said.
And Matongo said the UPND/PF pact would provide alternatives to better the lives of Zambians because the period between 1991 to 2001 was a lost decade, which would take time to recover.
Labels: AGRICULTURE, CATTLE DISEASE, DAVID MATONGO, FOOD, HUNGER, JOY FM
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Govt to establish livestock disease-free zones
By Kabanda Chulu
Fri 08 Jan. 2010, 04:00 CAT
GOVERNMENT will this year establish disease free zones in three provinces in order to control major livestock diseases and improve livestock productivity with enhanced provision of infrastructure.
It is expected that within the zone and its borders, appropriate official veterinary control would be effectively applied for animals and animal products and their transportation.
And the livestock disease free zones (DFZ) would be based on the International Organisation of Epizootics (OIE) objectives whose definition of a zone is an area in which the absence of the disease under consideration has been demonstrated by the requirements specified in the code for free status being met.
According to the expression of interest to undertake feasibility studies for the establishment of DFZs issued by the Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives, government has identified Central and parts of Lusaka and Copperbelt provinces as a preferred area to set up the initial livestock disease free zone.
“The ministry in line with the FNDP, Vision 2030 and the MDGs has decided to establish a disease free zone in order top control major livestock diseases, improved livestock productivity and provision of infrastructure hence the need to conduct a feasibility study in the identified areas for the purpose of creation of DFZs,” it stated.
Some of the specific objectives of the feasibility study are to recommend the acceptable mode of demarcating the disease free zone and carry out environmental and socio impact assessments.
Other specific tasks include identifying the possible and existing infrastructure required for creating a DFZ such as quarantine facilities, camp houses and location, dip tanks, crush pens, abattoirs, slaughter slabs, processing plants and market centres.
The rest would be to indicate the livestock farmers and their numbers including game fish and livestock grazing land available and its carrying capacity and the general land use.
Labels: CATTLE DISEASE, DISEASE FREE ZONES
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Namibian minister urges regional cooperation in livestock diseases fight
Written by Nicholas Mwale in Katima Mulilo, Namibia
Saturday, June 27, 2009 3:37:23 PM
NAMIBIAN Minister of Agriculture, Water and Forestry John Mutorwa has called for regional cooperation in the fight against livestock diseases.
Launching the Kwando-Zambezi Regional Tsetse Eradication Project in Katima Mulilo District in Namibia on Monday, Mutorwa said regional cooperation was key if the fight against livestock diseases was to be achieved.
“Diseases and pests know no boundaries,” Mutorwa observed. “They do not need visas to cross countries. Therefore, sustainable control demands regional cooperation.”
Mutorwa challenged the technocrats to expand the regional cooperation with respect to tsetse fly control to other trans-boundary animal diseases like Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD), lung sickness and others which were of economic and food security importance.
The Kwando Zambezi regional tsetse eradication project comprises four countries namely Zambia, Namibia, Angola and Botswana and is aimed at eradicating tsetse flies through aerial spraying.
The project commenced in 2006, with Angola and Namibia as the first countries to spray in the same year.
Meanwhile, agriculture and cooperatives deputy minister Albert Mulonga said eradication of tsetse flies would help increase income generation among livestock farmers.
“Cattle are the major source of livelihood in the areas infested with tsetse flies,” said Mulonga. “The Zambian government will therefore support this programme in a bid to improve income generation from livestock among farmers.”
And Caprivi Region governor Leonard Mwilima said his region would continue to give unwavering support to the regional tsetse eradication project until its successful conclusion.
“Livestock production is the mainstay of the economy in the Caprivi Region,” he said. “During periods of export of beef, farmers earn some N$2.4 million on a monthly basis, which highlights the importance of livestock to the region.”
Mwilima explained that tsetse flies were one of the main constraints to livestock productivity in the region.
“Some of the losses suffered included deaths, weight loss and reproductive failure. Farmers also incurred treatment costs as they managed Trypanosomiosis, known as Nagana in animals, which is a diseases emanating from tsetse flies,” said Mwilima.
Labels: CATTLE DISEASE, NAMIBIA
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Ban on livestock movement is counterproductive, says Machila
Written by Henry Chibulu in Mazabuka
Monday, April 27, 2009 3:08:10 PM
GOVERNMENT has said the blanket ban on livestock movement is counterproductive and should not be imposed on farmers who regularly vaccinate and dip their animals.
Livestock and fisheries minister Bradford Machila said in Mazabuka that the Veterinary Department should not be rigid but consider the implications of imposing the ban on the lives of the affected farmers.
Machila who was speaking when he addressed commercial and small-scale farmers at Mazabuka Tennis club on Saturday said the impact of the ban on livestock farmers in Mazabuka was frightening given the colossal sums of money the farmers lost during the process.
He said the ban was an act of laziness on the part of the Veterinary Department and would not be entertained especially on farmers who employed good bio security measures.
Machila said there was need for the Veterinary Department to take into account the impact of such measures and review them before taking action.
He observed that Mazabuka alone contributes 70 per cent of milk supplied to Parmalat Zambia Limited, adding that during the ban, milk supplies to the company had been affected.
Machila’s reaction followed complaints by commercial farmers that during the last movement ban imposed on livestock products, farmers lost huge sums of money. The farmers told Machila that after they protested during a meeting chaired by the then Southern Province Veterinary officer Dr Linous Munsimbwe, the department’s headquarters allowed them to transport livestock products to Lusaka where they had a steady market.
The farmers also complained that it was unfair for the Veterinary Department to impose a ban on the movement of livestock and related products when the local Veterinary office was not provided with logistics to mount roadblocks and constant patrols to deal with the illegal movement of livestock.
Southern Province is one region in the country which has over the years battled with animal diseases, causing the government to impose a ban on the movement of animals in the area to contain the diseases.
Labels: BRADFORD MACHILA, CATTLE DISEASE
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‘Govt has failed to address livestock diseases’
Written by George Zulu in Monze
Saturday, April 25, 2009 2:40:20 PM
LIVESTOCK and fisheries minister Bradford Machila on Thursday said the government has failed to address livestock diseases in Southern Province. In an interview after addressing both livestock and crop farmers at Chiluli farms in Monze, Machila said the government, through his ministry, realised its failures in addressing the challenges the livestock sector was facing.
“The issue of livestock is the one that we take very seriously in the ministry during this tour, a lot of complaints have been mentioned even in other districts we have gone to. We realise that there has been a lot of frustrations among livestock producers in the manner the ministry has been dealing and responding to problems of disease control. In addition to the problems of disease control, we also acknowledge the problem that is caused by the frequent banning of the movement of livestock,” he said.
Machila said the developments in the livestock sector could only be enhanced once animal diseases were controlled.
He said there were many other factors that had contributed to the prevailing situation of livestock diseases, adding that lack of regular dipping of animals, failure to have consistent programmes for vaccination and branding of animals for easy identification had affected the sector.
“We also recognise our failings and short comings as government in that we have failed to provide the services that are needed at the ground and it is against this background that this year there has been a substantial increase to the livestock sector in the national budget, in addition to the resources government has allocated to my ministry in the national budget, a number of donors and other co-operating partners have indicated willingness to help in our agenda of disease control,” Machila said.
And Bweengwa member of parliament, Highvie Hamududu, said Machila’s visit to the area should address the loss of huge numbers of animals dying from corridor and tick borne diseases.
Hamududu said the government should also revisit the cattle restocking programme especially in areas prone to animal diseases.
“This is a good precedence by the minister and I hope it will bring hope to our livestock farmers in the district and the province, however I urge the ministry to firstly deal with disease control before another restocking exercise is carried out. We need to address the issue of animal diseases, we cannot continue giving animals which die at the end of the day, so it is the responsibility of the ministry to deal first with the diseases,” said Hamududu.
Labels: BRADFORD MACHILA, CATTLE DISEASE
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Zambia to export beef
February 17, 2009
Zambia is to start exporting beef this year. Livestock and Fisheries Minister, Bradford Machila says measures have been set up to scale up livestock production.
He says the K70 billion allocation in this year’s budget will help scale up measures against livestock diseases.
Mr. Machila says the major hindrance in the fight against livestock disease has been insufficient funding.
He added that the Ministry has lined up a number of programmes such rehabilitation and construction of communal dip tanks.
The Livestock and Fisheries Minister says the Zambian government is in the process of setting up a livestock disease free zone.
[ZNBC]
Labels: BRADFORD MACHILA, CATTLE, CATTLE DISEASE
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Zambia to export beef
February 17, 2009
Zambia is to start exporting beef this year. Livestock and Fisheries Minister, Bradford Machila says measures have been set up to scale up livestock production.
He says the K70 billion allocation in this year’s budget will help scale up measures against livestock diseases.
Mr. Machila says the major hindrance in the fight against livestock disease has been insufficient funding.
He added that the Ministry has lined up a number of programmes such rehabilitation and construction of communal dip tanks.
The Livestock and Fisheries Minister says the Zambian government is in the process of setting up a livestock disease free zone.
[ZNBC]
Labels: BRADFORD MACHILA, CATTLE, CATTLE DISEASE
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East Coast Fever claims 16 heads of cattle in Isoka
Written by Jonathan Mukuka and Hillary Musonda
Monday, February 16, 2009 3:57:03 PM
VETERINARY experts in Isoka district have ascertained that the disease that claimed about 16 heads of cattle in the area was East Coast Fever (ECF).
A mysterious cattle disease broke out in the area recently and killed cattle.
Isoka district veterinary officer Wilson Katumbi, who is also district agriculture coordinator, confirmed the development in an interview in Isoka yesterday.
Dr Katumbi said ECF had so far claimed about 16 heads of cattle in Kantenshya agricultural camp in chief Kafwimbi’s area of Isoka district.
He said lymph smears were collected from five young animals in the affected kraals, from which microscopic diagnosis revealed that East Coast Fever was present in all the five animals.
Dr Katumbi who led a team of veterinary staff on a verification field trip to the affected areas to ascertain the cause of the deaths of animals in Namota, Chipote, Chango, Kachilika, Mwika, Habakkuk and Kapina villages in Kantenshya, observed that animals were dying because they were not sprayed, dipped or de-wormed.
He said the disease was prevalent in Kantenshya and the rest of the district because farmers were not controlling the ticks, which cause the disease, and strongly advised all livestock farmers to start spraying, vaccinating and de-worming their animals to contain the disease.
Meanwhile, Dr Katumbi has dismissed misconceptions by some farmers that they were not dipping and spraying their animals for fear of animals dying.
He urged the cattle farmers to start dipping and vaccinating their livestock if they were to benefit from the enterprise, adding that they should also report all cases of sick animals to the veterinary department without any delay.
Dr Katumbi further advised farmers to sell some animals and crops to raise money to purchase the much needed livestock drugs to save cattle from extinction.
Labels: CATTLE DISEASE, WILSON KATUMBI
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Magoye MP calls for lifting of ban on livestock movement
By Henry Chibulu in Mazabuka
Sunday July 13, 2008 [04:00]
MAGOYE member of parliament Ben Mweemba has called on the government to immediately lift the ban imposed on the movement of livestock and livestock products from Mazabuka. The veterinary department imposed a ban on the movement of livestock in Mazabuka three months ago following an outbreak of Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD) in chiefs Hanjalika and Mwanachingwala’s areas.
Mweemba said yesterday that the ban did not serve its purpose because cattle traders were allegedly violating it by transporting carcasses to Lusaka using trucks without the veterinary department taking necessary steps.
He said the traders were passing through the Kafue bridge security checkpoint without problems, despite police officers being fully aware of the ban.
Mweemba said the government should investigate why security officers were working with unscrupulous livestock traders to transport meat illegally into Lusaka.
He also said failure by the government to provide the veterinary office in the district with necessary logistics to mount roadblocks to stop the illegal movement of livestock and its products by unscrupulous traders had made it difficult to contain the deadly animal disease.
Mweemba disclosed that farmers in his constituency were now selling cattle at giveaway prices because of the immense suffering brought about by the ban.
Mweemba said animals that were previously sold at K1.2 million were now pegged at K400,000.
And cattle traders at BATA Cooperative in Mazabuka have opened the abbatoir and have started slaughtering animals.
This follows the expiry of the 24-hour ultimatum given to the veterinary department to lift the suspension.
Nansenga ward councillor, Jonathan Mufaya yesterday said cattle traders resolved to take the law into their hands if the government did not lift the suspension on the movement of cattle.
But Mazabuka District commissioner, Tyson Hamaamba cautioned the cattle traders from breaking with law with impunity.
Meanwhile, the veterinary department has continued the vaccination of cattle against FMD in chiefs Hanjalika and Mwanachingwala’s areas.
A check by ZANIS at the Mazabuka veterinary office found officers preparing to go in the field on their motorbikes laden with boxes of FMD vaccines.
Labels: CATTLE DISEASE
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Save our livestock sector
By Editor
Thursday May 22, 2008 [04:00]
It seems our livestock sector is not going to be free from diseases soon. Animal diseases that had disappeared are re-appearing in addition to new ones. We say this because the outbreaks of these diseases, which seem perennial, are not being contained effectively. Our livestock sector is being crippled by animal diseases. The Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD) broke out in Western Province in August last year and spread to Southern Province in February this year.
Apart from awareness campaigns to sensitise the general public and farmers, the government slapped a ban on the movement of livestock from Namwala, Monze, Mazabuka and Choma.
However, the ban has been relaxed though it is still effective in Mazabuka and Namwala because of the FMD as well as Kazungula, which has Contagious Bovine Pleuro-Pneumonia (CBPP).
This relaxed ban only applies to the movement of animals within the areas that are free of the FMD for slaughter and rearing after meeting all disease control requirements.
Carcasses of livestock, not live animals, are now allowed to be transported from the free areas to Lusaka and Copperbelt provinces. There are also conditions under which raw milk, skin and hides are supposed to be transported in a bid to contain the livestock disease.
There have been reports that the Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives is procuring vaccines to combat these diseases but the vaccines are yet to arrive in the country.
It is very clear that fire-fighting techniques in managing these diseases are not working and we need to change our approach. Looking at the magnitude of animal diseases in the country and their impact on the farmers who depend on livestock for survival, this type of inertia is not only regrettable but crippling.
The government, together with stakeholders, should have by now come up with solutions to this problem, whose end does not seem in sight.
Yes, the responsibility of curbing these diseases should be collective and it is good that the Zambia National Farmers Union (ZNFU) has been helping to sensitise its members over the need to adhere to measures that are aimed at controlling and preventing the outbreak of animal diseases.
There are many countries from which Zambia can draw some valuable lessons. We can learn a lot from countries like Britain which have dealt with animal diseases successfully before.
When FMD broke out in Britain over two years ago, the response was effective and in no time, the disease was contained. Yes, Britain is developed and has the resources and manpower to tackle such problems but Zambia can look at how quick the response was and how involved the authorities were in addressing the problem.
Over the years, there have been concerns over the meagre resources allocated in the budget to the agriculture sector, let alone the livestock sector specifically, which seem to fall on deaf ears.
In 2006, the government allocated K5 billion to the livestock sector while in 2007 - after so many cries - the amount was increased to K47 billion. Strange enough this year, with widespread livestock diseases, the budgetary allocation has been reduced to K38 billion.
We think there is need for consistency in funding levels to ensure that the Veterinary Department is properly equipped to contain the outbreak of livestock diseases in the country.
The problem is further compounded by the late procurement of vaccines and drugs, which just boils down to inefficiency and poor planning since we know that these outbreaks are perennial.
Further, it seems the outbreak of animal diseases dictate our response. By now, we need to be asking ourselves why the current disease control strategies are not working? We need to know whether we are doing enough and whether our vaccination campaigns and livestock movement restrictions have had an impact on the ground.
For instance, in the case of CBPP, we need to know what the current situation is and what the future is since the disease has been spreading out of its traditional areas of Western into Southern and North Western provinces. We cannot continue deploying the same strategy for years if it is not working.
The control on the movement of animals has not worked very well and that is why we are not surprised that Southern Province minister Daniel Munkombwe is expressing concern over farmers that are moving animals from Mazabuka into Mumbwa through the Kafue River or from Kazungula to Monze in an effort to find market.
Much as he is attributing this to lack of information on animal diseases, it is clear that this control measure has failed us as a country.
In neighbouring Botswana, livestock disease control strategies are a general knowledge of every traveller and disease control and screening points are applied to all parts of the country whether there is an outbreak or not.
But in Zambia, the outbreaks determine our application of livestock movement screening and control points. Quite often, these points are set up after so much noise from area members of parliament, the public and the media.
If the country lacks resources, deliberate measures can be taken to zone areas, which have persistent outbreaks and veterinary officers can carry out routine tests and surveillance to help identify potential outbreaks before the actual outbreak occurs.
There is need for the government to take deliberate steps in addressing the problem in the livestock sector. This is an important sector, which we cannot afford to ignore.
Efforts should be made to set up a livestock back-up vaccine production plant to reduce overdependence on imported untested vaccines that have not helped us in any way. Take for instance the vaccine for CBPP.
According to veterinary experts, the CBPP vaccine that Zambia is using is based on a 60-year-old vaccine that is poorly protective and can cause severe adverse reactions.
The same vaccine has residual virulence, making it a possible source of re-infection if not properly handled. With such a background, it is difficult to see any progress in combating the disease.
On the economic front, animal diseases have affected the country in terms of exports, as Zambia cannot access European markets for beef as a result of trans-boundary animal diseases.
The export rules for beef products seeking entry onto European markets entails the declaration of a country as a disease-free zone.
With the current situation in Zambia's livestock sector where a number of areas have been attacked by animal diseases, the country cannot export any of its beef to the EU until the diseases are controlled.
The effect on the farmers is equally devastating because they rely on their animals to fend for their families. The effect this year will be worse as most farmers in areas such as Namwala lost their crops due to floods and one wonders what else they will do since their animals are also affected.
If we are going to talk about meaningful poverty reduction strategies and economic growth that trickles down to the poor, these are some of the areas we need to look at.
However, it is encouraging that members of parliament are taking time to visit other countries such as Botswana to draw lessons. But it will be an exercise in futility if those lessons are not put into practice.
A lot has been said on the need to pay attention to the livestock sector, on the need to increase funding to the veterinary department as well as the need to provide incentives to agriculture extension officers to help improve service delivery.
There have also been calls to increase investment in the building of infrastructure for programmes such as compulsory dipping of all animals.
However, the onus is on the government and the stakeholders to find new ways of saving our beleaguered livestock sector.
Labels: CATTLE, CATTLE DISEASE
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MP bemoans lack of livestock vaccines
By Mutale Kapekele
Thursday May 22, 2008 [04:00]
Lack of vaccines has partly made the fight against livestock diseases difficult in the country, parliamentary committee on agriculture and lands chairperson Request Muntanga has said. During a courtesy call on Southern Province minister Daniel Munkombwe on Tuesday, Muntanga said most districts in the province did not have vaccines for all animal diseases and that this made the fight difficult.
Muntanga also said there was need to change the mindset of workers to effectively fight cattle diseases in the area.
He said the tour of Southern Province by his committee revealed that Ministry of Agriculture workers were more interested in allowances than fighting animal diseases.
"In Mazabuka, where foot and mouth disease has been reported, we found that all the K113 million allocated to fight cattle disease in the district, K69 million went to officers' allowances while the rest went to vehicle maintenance," Muntanga said.
"And there is no mention of purchasing vaccines in that money. Now how do we fight livestock diseases if we have to pay officers subsistence allowances in their own districts?"
Muntanga said the parliamentary committee would also travel to Botswana to learn from that country how to fight livestock diseases.
"We are going to visit Kasane, Francis Town, Gaborone and Lobatse in Botswana tomorrow Wednesday to learn how our brothers there have managed to fight livestock diseases," Muntanga disclosed. "We will also meet with officials from the Botswana Meat Commission (BMC) and see how we can cooperate with them."
And Munkombwe said lack of information in fighting livestock diseases had made farmers dishonest.
Munkombwe said ordinary farmers did not understand the seriousness of livestock diseases and 'sneaked' livestock into other towns.
"Our farmers have become dishonest because they don't understand the diseases affecting our animals and some of them secretly sneak cattle from Mazabuka into Mumbwa through the Kafue River or from Kazungula to Monze in an effort to find market for them," said Munkombwe.
"We need to teach our farmers to appreciate that what they are doing could spread livestock diseases to other towns."
Labels: CATTLE, CATTLE DISEASE
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