New vaccine for cattle tick-fever improves protection
The Rhodesia Herald,
9 October 1969
VETERINARY research workers in Australia have developed a vaccine giving the highest immunity yet available against tick fever in cattle.
It has been estimated that the cattle tick causes a loss of some 7 million pounds a year to the cattle industry and a significant proportion of this loss is caused by tick fever-death, retarded growth and loss of condition by recovered animals, and cost of treatment.
For years, graziers and farmers used a vaccine drawn from specially prepared bleeder steers, but the protection given was not always reliable.
A Government veterinary research team set out to remedy this by developing an improved vaccine. Their studies showed that reliable protection occurred when 10 million living parasites were injected into the animal in a dose of vaccine.
An improved vaccine has now been developed and has gained a reputation for reliability. Blood for the vaccine is taken from calves whose spleens have been removed.
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Due to the prolonged drought spell, the cattle herd has suffered immensely from diseases. This is worsened by the January disease that occurs and kills cattle over the winter months, and onwards.
The manufacturing of reliable veterinary vaccines is a mammoth task, which requires not only expertise, but huge research funding. Apart from tertiary institutions, the Division of Veterinary Field Services that falls under the Department of Livestock and Veterinary Services in the Ministry of Lands, Agriculture, Water and Rural Resettlement is responsible for recommending the best vaccines.
Despite the animal disease challenges, the Government of Zimbabwe remains optimistic that the livestock industry will continue to grow. Recently, President Mnangagwa launched the Livestock Growth Plan (2020-2025) which is expected to give sustainable solutions to challenges faced by farmers and ranchers through support from Government, the private sector and development partners. The cattle herd is set to rise to six million by 2025 from the present 5,4 million.