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Sharon Shayanewako

THE Government’s ongoing cattle branding exercise will not stop until the rainy season sets in and makes it difficult to continue, the Department of Veterinary Services (DVS) has revealed.

In an interview with The Herald yesterday, Department of Veterinary Services chief director, Dr Josphat Nyika said cattle branding was continuing nationwide urging farmers to continue taking their cattle for the programme.

“Cattle branding or identification to a dip tank or area of origin is compulsory in terms of the Animal Health Act (AHA). All farmers are required by the law to brand their cattle to their dip tank, farm or area of origin. We are still continuing with the programme until heavy rains deter us from doing it. We usually target to do the programme in winter when temperatures are low. It is the optimum period for branding because of low fly activity, resulting in low fly activity and ultimately low risks of wound infection and screwworm problems,” explained Dr Nyika.

Cattle branding, also known as umtshiso, is a process in which farmers get a unique mark for their herd from the registrar general’s office, as a way of reducing stock theft.

Since the programme started in June this year, 2 323 199 cattle have been branded, exceeding the initial target of 1, 5 million.

Dr Nyika stressed that branding of cattle was a positive development that would go a long way in reducing stock theft.

“The idea behind the programme is to provide animal identification and traceability systems, which controls and facilitates animal movement controls, busting illegal cattle movements and stock theft. This shows that farmers have embraced and understood the importance of the programme,” he said.

Dr Nyika added that farmers could be prosecuted for failure to brand their cattle as required by the law.

The Government launched the programme in June, as a measure to reduce stock theft and control the spread of diseases in the country.

The branding exercise, which identifies cattle by their districts and owners using a monitored system, will also enable the Government to control the outbreak of animal diseases.

Dr Nyika added that DVS officers were on the ground educating farmers on the need to embrace the programme and how it protects the national herd from unscrupulous dealers.

In addition, branding helps farmers to identify their beasts and reduce cases of dispute over ownership among them.

It is also an international standard in livestock identification and traceability systems, as it enables stock trading to be transparent since the stock owner will be compelled to produce brand certificate bearing brand marks similar to that on the stock.

Branding of cattle was not only done in Zimbabwe, but in the whole region of the Southern African Development Countries (SADC) because of cross-border theft of livestock.