State pumps US$2m into tick war to shield national herd
…emergency funding boosts dip chemical production as deadly cattle diseases surge
LIVINGSTONE MARUFU
Government has extended US$2m to Coopers Zimbabwe to ramp up the manufacture of acaricides critical to the national cattle dipping programme, as authorities race to contain a surge in tick-borne diseases during the peak rainy season.
The Treasury intervention is expected to stabilise supplies of essential dipping chemicals to more than 4,211 communal dip tanks nationwide, ensuring uninterrupted access for farmers at a time when livestock losses are accelerating.
The Department of Veterinary Services has urged farmers to intensify dipping, describing it as the first line of defence against production-limiting and economically devastating diseases such as theileriosis (January Disease), heartwater, anaplasmosis (gallsickness) and babesiosis (redwater).
Zimbabwe has already lost an estimated 10,000 cattle since the onset of the summer cropping season, underscoring the urgency for sustained and coordinated intervention.
During a recent assessment in Bulawayo, Lands Deputy Minister Davis Marapira said stabilising the dip chemical supply chain is central to the government’s ambition to build a US$12.8 billion agricultural economy by 2030.
“The strategy integrates an intensive ‘5-4-4’ dipping regime with the BOLVAC vaccine to combat shifting disease patterns, specifically targeting the brown ear tick’s life cycle,” Marapira said.
He called on traditional leaders to mobilise communities to ensure maximum participation, noting that government has already absorbed much of the cost burden by providing infrastructure and subsidised chemicals.
Authorities say the success of the programme now hinges on farmer discipline, including adherence to dipping schedules—particularly after heavy rains—and payment of nominal fees to sustain operations.
Government has also intensified vaccination campaigns to complement dipping efforts. In Bikita, Masvingo Province, authorities recently met a target to vaccinate 6,000 cattle across five high-incidence dip tank sites, following similar interventions in Gutu.
Masvingo Provincial Veterinary Director Dr Kramer Manyetu said the vaccination drive is designed to reinforce dipping efforts, creating what he termed a “double-shield” protection model to safeguard livestock and underpin food security.
Meanwhile, leading commercial cattle and goat breeder Peter Machakwa has urged farmers to strictly adhere to dipping routines, warning that complacency could prove costly.
“Dipping remains the most effective way of controlling January Disease. In the event of infection, farmers should administer treatments such as Butachem or Butacure, oxytetracycline, multivitamins, Imochem 120 and anti-inflammatory drugs, and repeat after 72 hours,” he said.
He also emphasised the importance of constant monitoring for early detection, which significantly improves survival rates.
Farmers are further encouraged to regularly dose their animals to maintain herd health and productivity.
