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Elita Chikwati  Agriculture Reporter
The Police Anti-stock Theft Unit has partnered the Ministries of Transport and Infrastructural Development and Agriculture, Mechanisation and Irrigation Development’s Department of Veterinary Services to stop the depletion of the national cattle herd.
The unit is promoting the erection of fences on farms along major roads to stop cattle straying on highways, where they have also caused traffic accidents.
Speaking at the ongoing Harare Agricultural Show at the Exhibition Park on Monday, Inspector Barnabas Mandishona said the initiative followed a realisation that the national herd was under threat not only from rustlers, but deaths due to diseases and road accidents.

“We have had several cases of livestock dying of diseases, while others are hit by vehicles along highways,” he said.
“The anti-stock theft unit will compel farmers to report livestock disease outbreaks on time and also enforce legislation such as quarantine to reduce the spread of the diseases.

“We are also conducting ‘Operation Zvipfuyo mumigwagwa kwete’.”
Insp Mandishona said the Ministry of Transport and Infrastructural Development would mobilise funds to erect fences along major highways and it would be the duty of the farmers to maintain and repair the fences.

He said fences in some farming communities would be maintained by rural district councils.
The Anti-stock Theft Unit also promotes branding of animals for easy identification in case of theft or livestock getting lost.

Insp Mandishona said every year, the unit sold more than 5 000 recovered cattle which could not be identified.
“By branding livestock, police will easily find the owners of recovered animals,” he said.

More than 9 600 suspected rustlers were arrested in the first half of this year, a decrease by 28 percent compared to the same period last year. Between January and June, police handled 1 668 cases compared to 2 332 last year, with a 3 508 cattle have been stolen during the first half of this year.

The police carried out 2 715 anti-stock theft campaigns countrywide during the same period this year.