Columbus Mabika
Herald Reporter
Fewer cattle died from tick-related diseases during the 2020/2021 agricultural season due to the success of $500 million national Livestock Blitz Tick Grease programme meant to fight livestock diseases, the Department of Veterinary Services (DVS) said yesterday.

The tick grease programme was launched by the Government last year, under which over one million households got free dipping chemicals, while 4 000 dip tanks countrywide were rehabilitated to curb the spread of tick-borne diseases, particularly January Disease.

To date, over 700 000kg of tick grease have been distributed through the Grain Marketing Board depots countrywide, with each farmer is receiving 1kg of the grease for free.

The tick grease 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.

DVS chief director, Dr Josphat Nyika, said the tick grease scheme has saved thousands of cattle from January Disease following the intervention by President Mnangagwa.

“Under the Livestock Growth Plan the Presidential Blitz Tick Grease Scheme was launched on November 20 2020. This entailed distribution of a targeted one million, one kilogram packs of tick grease for free to one million cattle-owning households,” he said.

“The programme supplemented intensive cattle dipping programme in the rainy season, when cattle are dipped once every week and tick grease being applied in-between the dipping seasons. Compared to the previous rainy season 2019/2020, fewer cattle became sick and fewer cattle died from tick borne diseases following the launch and implementation of the programme in the 2020/2021 agricultural season.

“There is significant improvement in the tick borne diseases burden and deaths. This attests to the effectiveness of regular dipping and application of tick grease in the control of tick related deaths in cattle. The tick grease distribution and application programme under the Presidential Livestock Input Scheme has saved tens of thousands of cattle from January Disease this season. Tick grease has helped curb the January disease outbreaks.”

Dr Nyika said under the programme, farmers were trained on the correct application of the tick grease on cattle on the tick feeding sites on the animal such as ears, base of the horn, under the tail, and tail brush.

Livestock production, he said, was a significant contributor to agricultural Gross Domestic Product as well a source of income and a safety net for millions of people, especially rural women and youths.

The Livestock Growth Plan (2020-2025) blueprint, whose key strategies entail improvement in animal nutrition, genetics improvement, improvement in animal health, climate change adaptation and small stock production, development of markets and trade infrastructure, and resource mobilisation, seeks to grow the livestock sector to a US$1,9 billion economy by 2025 as the nation gears for an empowered upper middle income status by 2030.