KATIMA MULILO – Cattle farmers in the Zambezi region, particularly in the flood plains of the Kabbe South constituency, have been hit hard by a sickness which continues to wipe out their cattle. The farmers say they have approached the regional veterinary office for assistance, but to no avail.
A representative of the farmers, Raphael Sikabongo, farms at Iviliivinzi, and has lost 35 cattle. He said he has compiled a list of affected farmers, and their combined loss currently stands at 375 and counting.
“We don’t know if the regional vets are sitting on the information or not. We need government to assist us. How are we going to recover as poor farmers when our cattle are dying every day?” he questioned.
Another farmer, Eliot Mowa, said they have tried to engage the veterinary office in the region, but they have reportedly been reluctant to go and assess the situation. He added that some farmers took samples to the veterinary officials, who, after running some tests, reportedly diagnosed it to be Pasteurella and heart water.
“Our concern is that officials do not want to go into the field and assess the situation. Some farmers engaged private veterinarians who could
not diagnose the disease, but recommended vaccines for worms,
botulism, anthrax, black quarter and diarrhoea. “We bought all the recommended vaccines, and in our kraal we have spent about N$10 000 - N$15 000. But our cattle continue to die. In our kraal, we have lost 52 cattle. In a kraal of just over 100 cattle, that means we have lost half of our livestock,” added Mowa. He said the nursing cows are the most affected, and veterinary officials allege that this is because they are lean. Representatives of the affected farmers also met with the regional veterinarians on Tuesday, who promised to visit the areas to assess the situation.
Lemmy Kamwi, who lost 55 cattle, was short of words to describe the situation. “We have lost hope. We always vaccinate our cattle when they come back from higher grounds, and this year was no exception.
When I moved them back to the flood plains, I dewormed them, and bought other vaccines like flukizol and supervax. They were fine for a while, but in July they started dying,” he stated.
Kamwi likewise appealed to the regional veterinary office to visit the affected farmers. “I appeal to the doctors since they are the experts to visit us, and advise us accordingly so that we can try to save the remaining cattle,” he pleaded.
Kabbe South Constituency councillor John Likando confirmed that he was aware of the situation, and that he is busy engaging relevant stakeholders in the region to visit the affected areas. “People always assume Zambezi is evergreen, but we have been hit hard. We do not know what is causing it, as cattle are dying in large numbers.
There are just carcasses all over. I have engaged the veterinary office, and we are planning to go on a field trip sometime this week to establish the main cause,” he promised.
Likando said they haven’t decided on the date yet, but it will be soon.
Contacted for comment, the agriculture ministry’s spokesperson Jona Musheko referred all the questions to regional veterinary officer Dr Beatrice Shikongo, who was also reluctant to comment.