Villagers in Sipmabi area under Chief Charumbira say their herd of cattle is succumbing to the tick borne January disease and are appealing to government to increase the stocks of dipping chemicals.
The villagers told Hevoi FM News that most of the time they receive the dipping chemicals twice a month.
“Cattle here are dying due to January disease and some farmers have lost virtually the whole herd of cattle and it will be difficult for them to prepare for the farming season,”said a villager.
“We are appealing to government to avail dipping chemicals to at least twice a week before we lose more herd of cattle,”said another villager.
Added another villager:
“We are grateful that the government gave us farming inputs but we are calling the authority to increase the allocation of dipping chemicals.”
More then 10 000 cattle have succumbed to the disease in Masvingo province since the onset of the year. Theileriosis is a disease of cattle that is transmitted by ticks. The highest number of cases of theileriosis tends to be encountered in January when traditionally the rainfall activity will be high, hence the common name, January disease.
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