LIVESTOCK farmers across the country have been implored to destock their non-productive animals to avert losses that may be caused by El Nino induced drought.
Wisdom Gunzvenzve, a farming expert in the department of livestock production and development of the Agricultural and Rural Development Advisory Services said farmers should sell non-productive animals and leave only breeding heifers and cows.
“We don’t want farmers to lose their animals. They should take the option of destocking during this time of drought,” he said.
“When we talk of productive animals, we talking of breeding animals, heifers and cows. We also have animals we use for draught power. It is advisable to destock and we save only productive animals,” he said.
Gunzvenzve said the money realised through destocking can be used to actually buy feed for the remaining animals or drilling of boreholes in respective farms and communities.
“Sometimes livestock farmers fail to realise how rich they are in terms of conversion of livestock into monetary terms. There are things they are able to do on their own while government continues to save the livestock sector,” he said.
He also advised farmers to ensure their livestock did not walk long distances in search of water, saying the energy they use comes from food which is in short supply.
“El Nino is likely to cause a water shortage for our livestock especially cattle. As farmers we are being urged to reduce the distance our livestock move to access water,” Gunzvenzve said. The energy they will be using comes from food which is in short supply,” he said. He pointed out that in some areas there are muddy pools which can trap animals to death. —New Ziana