The Union has received more reports on livestock disease outbreaks in Southern Province. Recent reports indicate that there is an increase in the number of cattle dying from tick borne cattle diseases, a development, and the veterinary department has attributed to poor husbandry practices,
especially failure by a number of small scale farmers to follow strict dipping regimes. Corridor disease has also broken out. Last week Choma district reported 23 deaths out of the 60 cases which were reported in Pemba agricultural camp since December 2009. All the 22 Agricultural camps in the district have recorded high occurrences of the disease with reported cases ranging from 5 – 40 per month.
In trying to prevent total loss, farmers have resorted to taking affected animals to the abattoirs for slaughter and the abattoirs are rejecting them.
Farmer’s have been advised to intensify dipping of their animals so as to reduce loses. Farmers are therefore requested to ensure that they adhere to recommended dipping to help save their cattle.
