By Rex Mphisa
DESPERATE cattle farmers in the southern parts of the country are swapping their emaciated cattle with stock feed to save the animals from death.
Communal farmers in Matabeleland South province alone are said to have already lost about 7 000 cattle, almost 700% up from the same time last year.
Big Ndlovu, a farmer and school teacher at Jompempi Primary School, 40km northwest of Beitbridge town, said desperate farmers at a cattle sale near his school settled for feed ahead of cash.
“They accepted stockfeed beacuse of the low value of their cattle. At times a beast would be valued at less than R2 000. The farmer will then receive stockfeed to that value,” said Ndhlovu.
“Farmers are left with no choice because you either take that or lose all your cattle.”
Farmers let go older cattle whose resistance was low, opting to feed the young.
A farmer in the Tongwe communal areas, who identified himself as Gladys Ndou, said she held on to her cattle hoping the situation would change but to no avail.
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“Recently some people have been going around exchanging livestock for grass and salt,” she said. “We have no choice.”
Veterinary Services department statistics showed that at least 1 000 cattle died between January and October last year as compared to this year’s 7 000.
Matabeleland South was the worst hit with all its seven districts badly affected.
Government officials in the livestock sector have said Insiza, Beitbridge and Bulilima are the hardest hit in Matabeleland South.
Other reports indicate related dire straits in Mwenezi, Chiredzi South and parts of Mberengwa South and Chivi districts.
Appeals by farmers for supplementary feeding for their livestock appears to be a tall order for the government, which has more than 5,5 million people on its drought relief food lists.
