Zimbabwe may be losing up to half a million calves annually, translating to a potential economic loss of between US$100 million and US$250 million due to low calving rates, according to the Second Round of Crops, Livestock and Fisheries Assessment report.
The calving rate is a metric in livestock farming that reflects a herd's reproductive efficiency.
It is calculated as the percentage of females giving birth to calves relative to the total number bred. A high rate indicates a healthy and productive herd, while a low rate, as seen in Zimbabwe, averaging 42 percent in 2023, suggests underlying issues.
"Clearly, livestock production efforts must be aimed at ensuring that the breeding herd is brought into full production," said the report. "The country is losing, potentially, some 500 000 calves due to low calving rates, some US$100 to US$250 million annually.
"Sheer inefficiency, poor farmer education, and a 'business as usual' approach are the root causes of this slow growth of the national beef herd. With a national beef cattle population of 5,72 million, Zimbabwe could potentially be producing significantly more calves.
The lost production translates to a potential substantial economic loss, hindering the growth of the national herd and potentially impacting livelihoods dependent on cattle.
The Government has set an ambitious goal of doubling the national cattle herd to 11 million by 2030.
"The key to reaching Zimbabwe's goal of an 11 million strong herd lies in optimising calving rates," a veterinary specialty with an animal healthcare company said.
"By focusing on pre-breeding herd health, nutrition, and strategic insemination techniques, we can significantly improve pregnancy success. This will require a collaborative effort between veterinarians, farmers, and Government agencies to ensure proper animal care, access to quality breeding stock, and efficient reproductive management programmes."
Recognising that good cattle management is the cornerstone of high calving rates, training programs should be prioritized, especially for communal farmers who manage the majority of Zimbabwe's cattle.
"Look, in my experience, healthy cows with good weight on them are the ones that get pregnant easiest and calve strong," said Mr Milton Charehwa, a cattle farmer in Rusape.
"I have to focus on keeping our heifers well-fed to reach breeding weight early and dry off our mamas with enough time to build themselves back up before calving.
"A little extra time for rest and good feed goes a long way. If we can get them in peak condition, they will be more likely to take to the bull and deliver healthy calves. I think that is how we can build our national herd up,.
The livestock report noted that breeding herds (bulls, cows, and heifers) constitute 63 percent of the national herd. Bulling ratios have slightly improved and range from 1:11 in small-scale farming to 1:15 in large-scale farming compared to a national target of 1:20 to 25.
National cattle mortality decreased from 6 percent in 2022 to 4,6 percent in 2023.
The decreased cattle mortalities are attributed to improved animal husbandry practices and animal health management, especially the effective control of tick-borne diseases.
Diseases still contribute the highest cause of cattle mortality (68 percent) followed by drought (13 percent). Zimbabwe's livestock herd sizes declined by about 20 percent for beef and over 83 percent for dairy between 2009 and 2020, according to official Government statistics.
Furthermore, the productivity of smallholder cattle herds remains very low, with average calving rates of about 45 percent against a potential of 60 percent and off-take rates of about six percent against a recommended 20 percent.
The National Development Strategy 1 is prioritising animal health and production by strengthening farmer knowledge, and skills in livestock production and health to enhance productivity through various strategies. These include upscaling hay cutting, development of pastures green belts, and creation of forage banks.
Concerned by the level of performance of the livestock sector in 2020, the Government promulgated the Livestock Recovery Growth Programme (2021-2026) to address all areas that were limiting growth and laid a good foundation for the livestock sector to assume its prominent role in transforming farmers' livelihoods by providing the required raw materials for agriculture-led industrial development.
Its main goal is to reduce livestock mortality and introduce more productive livestock systems that are adapted to meet the incessant drought events caused by climate change.
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The Government declared war against tick-borne diseases by the adoption of a religious dipping programme; 5-5-4 model where farmers dip their cattle every five days, after which they go on to dip after every four days and make sure that they dip their cattle at least five times a month. Together with development partners, experts in the livestock sector are encouraged to teach rural communities on the correct dilutions so that they can eliminate the brown tick and achieve the targeted goal.
Though plunge dipping remains the most effective method where the whole animal is immersed in the dip to kill the ticks, other dipping methods for small herds of less than 30 cattle include hand spraying using knapsacks.
The Government is also rehabilitating the national dip tanks to ensure optimal functionality with more than 4 000 dip tanks constructed since 2021, setting the country on course to have sufficient infrastructure required to curb theileriosis and other cattle diseases.
A total of 5 000 dip tanks are expected to be constructed by 2025 to help fight the brown tick that has recently been wiping off the national herd
