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Precious Manomano Herald Reporter

The building up of the national cattle herd goes further than just increasing numbers, but also improving the quality of the stock by introducing new genetic strains to avoid the ill-effects of inbreeding.

Under the livestock recovery growth plan Government is targeting to increase the country’s herd from the current 5,5 million to six million by next year, as the thrust to meet national demand for both dairy and beef gathers steam.

Speaking during the forge and pasture production field day and the Boran Stud held in Shamva, Permanent Secretary for Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development John Basera said improvement of genetics is critical for infusing new genetic strains in the national herd to get better breeds.

“Under the livestock growth recovery plan, we have given ourselves a target by 2025 to achieve a US$2 billion livestock economy. So currently we are US$1,1 billion, but we need to grow it,” he said.

“About 80 percent of rural households earn their living from livestock. We are looking at improving national herd genetics. We have observed that our beast size is getting smaller and smaller because of inbreeding. We want to infuse new genetics. Here we have launched Boran Stud which is a breeding project. It will contribute better genetics in our national herd.”

Dr Basera said inbreeding results in smaller and smaller animals being produced leading to lower beef and milk production.

He also said the breeding would also look at greater natural resistance to diseases, especially tick-borne diseases that killed many of cattle in the country. The country lost 500 000 cattle to disease since 2016, although loss rates are now falling fast as dipping resumes to kill ticks and other measures are put in place to vaccinate cattle.

“We want to infuse new genetics; that’s how we improve the national herd. We want to improve the average mass of beasts in Zimbabwe to 224kg, at the moment we are sitting at 160kg for big cattle,” he said.

Mr Teererai Mangwiro was also grateful for the support, adding that the project will help to increase the national herd.

“We are grateful. We lost thousands of cattle. It is time for us to recover. The breed is safe from diseases. We appreciate this,” he said.

Dr Basera also commended a youthful farmer Mr Trymore Muderere for being an outstanding farmer in Shamva who diversifies his work in terms of the feed and crop options as well as livestock and fisheries.

The farmer has plans to construct a laboratory so that he can speed up the breeding processes.

Mr Muderere is a graduate of the University of Zimbabwe with a herd of 124 of the Boran Stud. He challenged other youths to take farming as a business.

He said he has a passion in agriculture and vowed to change his life through farming.

“Most businesses were closed down because of Covid-19 but agriculture remains functioning. Let’s invest in farming. Let’s take farming as a hobby and business,” he said.

“I hope to scale up operations to inspire other young people. I want to give the community a Boran Stud bull which will be moving around and service the entire herd in the community.”

Most of the villagers around Mvurwi thanked Mr Muderere for a positive step that will promote an increase in the national herd.

Mrs Mercy Muripa of Visa farm was grateful towards the initiative, saying they will also have the Boran Stud which will compete in international markets.

“I want to thank the young man for assisting the Shamva area. The Boran breed cattle are very expensive. No one in the area afford this type of breed,” she said.

President of Zimbabwe Boran Breeders Society Mr Mark Hook said the Boran Stud breed was an African breed, that originates in Africa.

“It’s been bred for 1 300 years so this is too an African indigenous breed,” he said.

The Government of Zimbabwe attaches great importance to the development of the livestock sector and seeks to grow the sector to a US$1.9 billion economy by 2025.

To achieve this, the Government has set in motion strategies such as the Livestock Growth Plan, Rural Development 8.0 which are premised on improving production and productivity.

Artificial insemination is building up genetic quality at moderate cast. So far almost 2 000 cows and heifers and 1 600 sows have been inseminated across the country and the Government is targeting 10 000 cattle this year.

The Ministry of Agriculture is targeting all provinces with this technology, with the possibility of reaching out to 800 000 cows nationwide in the long run.

The period November to March is the best time to carry out artificial insemination as heifers and cows will be in good body condition for conception. But the process should be done correctly by a person who has technical know-how.