Masvingo under threat as January disease ravages

A veterinary officer says Masvingo Province is under threat following a
severe outbreak of January disease in the Midlands province.
Masvingo Provincial veterinary officer, Kramer Manyetu, said
the disease has claimed cattle in the Midlands Province especially
in Shurugwi, Mberengwa and Chirumanzu.
“At the moment the situation of January disease in Masvingo
is stable. We are not yet in an outbreak situation. But we are

under threat from the outbreak in
Midlands Province where we are
having districts such as Chirumanzu,
Shurugwi and Mberengwa that have
a severe outbreak,” Manyetu said.
“Our areas that are under threat are
Gutu, Masvingo and Chivi districts
of which Chivi has two fronts the
Mberengwa side and Shurugwi side.
Masvingo has Shurugwi while Gutu
also has Chirumanzu side.
“...We have intensified dipping
in those surrounding areas making
sure that the 5,5,4 dipping regime is
followed.”
Manyetu bemoaned lack of
dipping infrastructure, lack of
supervision in A2 farms and
commercial farms as they are not
under government in trying to
eradicate the disease.
“We are facing a number of
challenges from A2 farms and
commercial farms because they are
not under government scheme. Their
dipping is not consistent because to
clear the disease there is a need for all
cattle to dip.
“Their dipping is affected by lack

of dipping infrastructure, lack of
supervision, use of a single nap-sack
to spray many cattle is not effective,”
Manyetu said.
He added: “The government
has declared war against January
disease in the whole country. There
are several measures in line in the
coming months. The government
has made sure that we have enough
dipping chemicals and every
household has a kilogram of tick
grease. We are engaging traditional
leaders in awareness and mobilising
farmers to dip their cattle often.”