JANUARY disease-inspired cattle deaths have dropped from a peak of half a million around 2017 to almost zero this year, thanks to Government's raft of control measures and vaccination regimes.
Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development permanent secretary, Professor Obert Jiri said this in a recent update on the country's livestock situation.
"This year, cases of January Disease have reduced on two fronts - the dipping regime and Bolvac vaccine administration," he said.
Prof Jiri urged farmers to use the 5-5-4 dipping regime, which is intensive in controlling the disease, as well as administer the Bolvac vaccine, which prevents January Disease in most of the hot spots across the country.
He explained that the sickness had come to be called January disease because it is most prevalent during the month of January when there is increased rainfall activities.
"The last outbreak was in Bikita district, and it was confined and controlled. So far, the country is quiet in terms of the disease.
"From a high of half a million deaths in 2017, we have reduced these cases to near zero," highlighted Prof Jiri.
Prof Jiri also mentioned that there were some isolated cases of anthrax, which his ministry had mapped regarding the spores in the soil adding that the spores were under control.
Recently, the chief director in the Directorate of Veterinary Services (DVS), Dr Pious Makaya, unpacked key measures the Government is taking to manage livestock diseases this rainy season.
"The coming of the rains brings with it an upsurge in animal diseases. These diseases include internal and external parasite infestations, food, insect/vector, and soil-borne diseases," he said.
The soil-borne ailments affecting livestock include blackleg, anthrax, and tick-borne diseases (Theileriosis, anaplasmosis (gall sickness), and babesiosis (redwater)).
To effectively control ticks and tick-borne diseases, the DVS has adopted the integrated tick and tick-borne disease control strategy (ITTBDCS).
"All farmers should perform weekly dipping according to the standard operating procedures advised by extension staff. When there is an outbreak of tick-borne disease after dipping, we must use complementary strategies such as vaccinations," he added.
The DVS provides vaccinations against January disease, gall sickness, and red water.
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The vaccines are complicated for farmers to use alone, as they require cold-chain maintenance from the central veterinary laboratory to the farm. They are kept under liquid nitrogen and hence require specialised personnel.
"Farmers are advised to approach the central veterinary laboratory and make arrangements for the vaccination of animals only after laboratory confirmation of the disease to avoid the incorrect use of the wrong vaccine for the wrong disease," he advised.
January disease is caused by a parasite called Theileria parva, which is transmitted by the bite of an infected tick.
The symptoms of Theileriosis include swelling of the lymph nodes, running eyes, rough skin, and loss of appetite.
Over the years, the Government has made strides in containing the problem through implementing several awareness activities to support farmers with effective dipping facilities, spray races, plunge dips, hand sprays, and pour-ons in the fight against January Disease.
