Zimbabwe’s national cattle herd has grown to 5.7 million, marking a 2% increase from last year, according to updates presented in Parliament last week.
The government seeks to expand the herd to 12 million by 2034, a goal supported by enhanced disease control measures and improved access to livestock vaccines.
Addressing Parliament, Minister of Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water, and Rural Development, Anxious Masuka, said efforts to protect livestock from tick-borne diseases are beginning to yield positive results. Said Masuka:
“Contrary to popular belief, our national herd is actually growing. We have ensured that vaccines are available, especially in high-risk areas, to protect cattle and secure livestock production.”
The El Niño-induced drought led to the loss of 9,941 cattle at the start of the 2023/24 season, with 47% of rural wards experiencing grazing shortages from July 2024.
Livestock production remains constrained by prolonged dry spells, poor nutrition, insufficient dry-season feed, high stock feed costs, transboundary pests and diseases, irregular dipping schedules, high mortality rates, and limited market access.
Zimbabwe’s 2020–2025 livestock growth plan identifies livestock diseases as a critical area requiring urgent intervention to ensure the sector can make a meaningful contribution to the national development strategy.
More: NewsDay
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