TATENDA CHIKARA IN MASVINGO
Desperate villagers in Nemamwa village in Masvingo are selling their cattle for less as they battle to salvage something as the outbreak of a tick-borne infection claims hundreds of cattle in the area, Business Times can report.
The outbreak of Theileriosis or January disease has seen some villagers opting to rear goats.
A villager who spoke to the Business Times on condition of anonymity said they have tried using the dosages recommended by veterinary officers but all is proving futile.
“We have tried dosing our livestock but all is not working, we have used Hittite and other several dosages but the case still remains the same because our cattle are dying,” the villager said.
Another villager, Isheunesu Nzombe, said that they were now selling their cattle at a loss.
“Most people in our area are now selling their cattle at a loss as most people do not want to buy at reasonable prices due to this disease, the prices we are charging now range from US$60 to US$100 per beast.”
Provincial veterinary officer Dr Ernest Dzimwasha encouraged villagers to regularly dip their cattle and contact the local veterinary officers when their cattle are affected.
However, Dr Dzimwasha warned people from consuming livestock that would have died soon after dosing them as the chemicals contain some antibiotics that can affect people in the long run.
“We do not encourage people to eat dosed cattle as they contain some antibiotics such as Tetracycline and others. If people consume they will develop an antimicrobial resistance which will cause their bodies to resist some medicine as time goes on,” Dr Dzimwasha warned.
