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Elita Chikwati Agriculture Reporter

More than 670 000 households countrywide have benefited from the Presidential Blitz Tick Grease Programme launched last year by Government to curb the spread of tick-borne diseases.

This tick grease distributed is 71 percent of the amount that was delivered to the Grain Marketing Board depots countrywide for collection by farmers.

The Department of Veterinary Services is spearheading the programme to augment dipping and curb the spread of tick-borne diseases, especially theileriosis popularly known as January Disease.

The grease is being distributed to farmers for free.

The programme is in line with the National Development Strategy 1, which prioritises animal health and production through strengthening farmer knowledge, skills in livestock production and health, to enhance productivity.

Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Resettlement Minister Anxious Masuka in the Crop and livestock assessment report said diseases remained the major cause of cattle mortalities followed by drought related deaths accounting for 69 percent and 21 percent of total deaths respectively.

He said tick- borne diseases had continued to pose a serious threat to the national herd.

“This is a continuation of the problem that started in 2017 when the national dipping programme started to face serious challenges.

“The highest number of cattle deaths have been attributed to Theileriosis with Mashonaland East, West, Central and parts of Manicaland being the worst affected.

“Other tick borne diseases reported were Anaplasmosis (Gall sickness), Babesiosis (Red water) and Heart water,” he said.

The tick grease programme is meant to supplement intensive cattle dipping programmes in affected areas.

According to the Department of Veterinary Services, intensive dipping is when cattle are dipped three times in two weeks and tick grease will be applied in-between the dipping sessions.

The DVS advises farmers to apply tick grease in the ears, under the tail and on the tail brush, which are feeding sites of the brown ear tick which transmits January Disease.

Farmers can trim the tail brush. They should also seek assistance from local veterinary extension worker.

Meanwhile, the condition of cattle is generally fair to good in most districts except in some parts of Gokwe.

Most areas received good rains across all provinces thereby improving pastures and grazings.

The grazing condition is fair to good across all provinces except for some parts of Gokwe North, Zambezi Valley, Nkayi and Gwanda.

Available grazing is expected to last up to the next season in most districts.

However, in the northern parts of the country specifically parts of Gokwe North, Zambezi valley, Nkayi and Gwanda are likely to have grazing challenges.

Generally, communal areas always have grazing challenges due to over-stocking and poor grazing quality.

Water for livestock is available in most districts.

There are some wards in different parts of the country are likely to experience water challenges after three months as livestock will begin to move long distances to perennial water sources such as dams, boreholes and perennial rivers.

Most of the rivers and water bodies are heavily silted across all provinces.