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Farmers, agricultural service providers and livestock experts will converge at the Agricultural Trust Farm, Pomona, on Thursday May 19 for Symposium 2016 – the annual technical and networking forum for livestock farmers. This year, the Symposium focuses on health and bio-security in pigs and chickens, which together make up some 80 percent of the meat market in Zimbabwe.Now firmly established on the farming calendar, Symposium 2016 combines educative technical sessions with the Annual General Meetings of the Zimbabwe Poultry Association (ZPA) and the Pig Producers’ Association of Zimbabwe (PPAZ). An added attraction is the many exhibitor stands mounted by livestock industry service providers, to showcase their products and services to the growing livestock sector.

Animal health is the foundation of successful livestock production and Symposium 2016 will equip poultry and pig producers with the management tools to maintain healthy, disease-free stock. Livestock that are healthy and not subjected to unnecessary stresses are more productive and less susceptible to diseases and other conditions that undermine animal health, performance and profit margins in farming. Prevention is better than cure and bio-security is a key part of the programme.

The Symposium will examine how small and medium scale livestock farmers in Zimbabwe can use global strategies to firmly take control of the management of virulent animal diseases endemic in the country. Bio-security – how to effectively “disease-proof” a livestock enterprise from contagious and decimating animal diseases – is the farmer’s first line of defence against incursion of disease. Any livestock enterprise can be made bio-secure with strict adherence to simple, but stringent control measures.

Worldwide, the control of contagious animal diseases no longer just focuses on quarantining affected livestock enterprises to contain the spread of disease; but also on ring fencing other livestock operations to ensure that they remain disease-free. Bio-security is now an integral part of large, successful livestock operations globally. It is a requirement for ISO certification and other quality control processes. Many countries which import animal products will only import from producers who observe strict bio-security procedures.

Bio-security is especially important in the control of highly contagious and notifiable diseases, such as Newcastle Disease in poultry and African Swine Fever in pigs.

Climate Change also comes under the spotlight at Symposium 2016 which will examine the effects of climate change on poultry and pig production and explore what farmers can do to mitigate this.

The Symposium 2016 programme starts at 8.00am on Thursday May 19 with tea and registration. This will be followed by the review of the poultry and pig industries and stockfeed update. Honourable Paddy Zhanda will officially open the event and the first talk will be at 10.00am on the background to chick production/Maitirwoemabasa pa Hukuru (Video). A presentation on hygiene in broiler production/Kugezwakwematangaehuku and Biosecurity in pig and poultry production/Utsananahwakanakanekudzivirirazvirweremuhukunenguruve will also be discussed.

The Annual General Meetings of ZPA and PPAZ will be held both before and after a hot lunch and Dr Doug Bruce will then make a presentation on temperature control in pigs. The Symposium will finish with a discussion about the impact on climate change on pig and poultry production/Kushandukakwekunzezvazvinorevapamachengeterwoenguruvenehuku.

Tickets for the event cost $20 and includes teas, a hot lunch and an information pack.

Proudly Self-Sufficient in Stockfeed

Production

To ensure that Zimbabwe remains self-sufficient in stockfeed production, the stockfeeds industry has made contingency plans to secure yellow maize for stockfeed production this year. So that white maize is reserved for human consumption in the drought affected SADC region, local stockfeed manufacturers are importing yellow maize for stockfeed. This maize has not been genetically modified and it is estimated that some 200 000 metric tonnes of non-GM maize will be required for stockfeed production in 2016. Yellow maize is being imported from as far afield as the Ukraine.

“To supply livestock farmers with stockfeed, as well as keep the wheels of local industry turning and play our part in value addition, we are switching to yellow maize this year”, reports Israel Muchuchu, chairman of the Stockfeed Manufacturers’ Association (SMA).

“Zimbabwe has not imported finished stockfeed since 2011,” notes Muchuchu. “By importing yellow maize this year, we remain proudly self-sufficient in stockfeeds and continue to offer farmers a consistent supply of specialised animal feeds across the range.”

The stockfeed manufacturer is a vital cog in Zimbabwe’s agro-economy, generating growth both upstream and downstream. The industry aims to procure the bulk of raw ingredients locally, providing a market for maize and soya farmers through agro-processing. Stockfeed production also generates growth downstream by supporting agricultural development and further value addition in the production and processing of meat products, as well as employment creation in the agricultural input supply sector.

Maize, the regional staple grain, is a key ingredient in stockfeed production and primary source of energy in livestock nutrition. Together with soya beans, the other major stockfeed ingredient and protein component, they constitute 63 percent of the tonnage of ingredients used by Zimbabwe’s stockfeed industry and 76 percent of expenditure on raw materials.

Since 2009, local stockfeed manufacturers have strived to recapitalise and supply the growing and diversified livestock industry with stockfeeds formulated for their specific needs and the different growth stages during animal rearing. Recapitalisation and increased capacity utilisation to reduce the unit cost of production and remain competitive are challenges across Zimbabwean industry today. Stockfeed manufacturers are upgrading production technologies to keep abreast of global stockfeed production processes and standards.

Imported yellow maize is currently going into the manufacture of a wide range of Proudly Zimbabwean stockfeeds rolling off the local production line. Yellow maize derives its colour from the high beta carotene content of the grain. When yellow maize is fed to livestock, beta carotene is absorbed by the animal and this can be seen in bright yellow egg yolks and the golden colour to chicken skin and shanks, as well as golden pork fat and healthy yellow animal livers. This is an indication that these primary proteins are a good source of beta carotene for the consumer too. The human body can synthesize beta carotene into Vitamin A, which many Zimbabweans are deficient in.

Beef Sector

Due to the prolonged drought, which experts say is the worst in 35 years, the cattle death toll has continued to rise since October 2015. Under these challenging circumstances, cattle producers are continually being urged to destock, leading to glut of beef on an unresponsive market and further squeezing prices. Due to the supply glut, prices at auction sales are depressed.

Grade Wholesale ($/kg CDM) Producer ($/kg CDM)

April 2016 Dec 2015 April 2016

Super 3.90-4.10 4.20 – 4.40 3.55 – 365

Commercial 3.10-3.25 3.70 – 3.90 2.40 – 2.50

Economy 2.60-2.80 3.20 – 3.40 2.10 – 2.20

Manufacturing 2.20-2.35 2.90 1.70 – 1.80

Dairy Sector

Milk production has been increasing year-on-year with a growth of 19 percent for the months January to March 2016. Production was 16 million litres compared to 13,4 million litres during the same period in 2015.

Production started off on a relative high of 5,5 million litres in January, dipped by 8 percent to 5,1 million litres before rebounding to 5,4 million litres in March.

Poultry Sector

As with the rest of the economy, operations in the poultry industry have been impacted upon by the cash crunch and dire economic situation as discussed at the Zimbabwe Poultry Association Council meeting held on April 13. However, the broiler and day old chick markets are reasonably firm and low to zero stock holdings were reported. Nevertheless, there is a build-up of offal at most chicken abattoirs which may be due to an influx of grey imports.

The egg market remains over traded and the market is soft. A tray of eggs is wholesaling at $3,20-$3,30 yet the break-even price is $3,50/tray.

Cases of Newcastle Disease were reported from Harare in Highfield and Greendale (backyard flock), Chivhu (on small scale farms), Mashonaland East (Seke) and in a 2 300 broiler operation in Domboshava. Cases of necrotic enteritis have also been diagnosed, possibly due to unhygienic conditions. Feeding birds on only bran precipitates the condition and symptoms include low weight gain, high mortality and stunted growth.

Pork Sector

The pork sector has not been spared from the economic challenges which have also been exacerbated by the drought. Pig producers are destocking as the constant access to good quality feed is becoming more difficult. Pork prices have remained depressed and concerns are being raised about on the continued viability of the pig industry

The outbreak of African Swine Fever has been under control since the last report of pig deaths in November 2015. In order to verify that the disease is no longer prevalent, the Pig Industry Board has donated Mukota pigs, an indigenous breed, to producers in Mukumbura to monitor the disease.

Meat Processing Sector

The Meat Processors Association of Zimbabwe continues to lobby to regulate trade in mechanically deboned meat (MDM).The sector recommends that all consignments of MDM be sealed on entry into Zimbabwe and then unsealed and inspected by ZIMRA and officials from Veterinary Public Health upon arrival at the final destination.

The price of MDM has increased and are forecast to continue increasing for the next three months by a margin of $30-50 each month, attributed to a shortage in Brazil as a result of high demand from Mexico. There is a shortage of sausage casings and the price of protein concentrates has increased by 30 percent.

A ban has been proposed on styrofoam packaging for meat products which will impact on packaging costs.

Fish Sector

While demand for fish is reasonable, the market remains flat and bream is retailing at $3,30-3,50/kg. However, fish producers have expressed concern regarding reports that Mutare is still receiving Chinese bream fillets estimated at occupying 20–30 percent of market share in the region. The introduction of duty on imported tilapia has had a positive impact on the market as evidenced by the prevailing stability in prices.