BUBI, (New Ziana) – Government on Monday reiterated its zero-tolerance stance on non-compliance with livestock dipping as part of intensified efforts to contain the January Disease, which devastated the national cattle herd a few years ago.
Speaking in Bubi district during a livestock assessment visit, Deputy Minister of Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development, Davis Marapira, said the resurgence of the January Disease, also known as Theileriosis, is largely linked to a weakening dipping culture among some farmers rather than shortages of chemicals.
“We have adopted a zero-tolerance approach to non-compliance with dipping regulations. January Disease is preventable. Where farmers dip their cattle consistently, cases are minimal.
“The problem is not acaricide availability, but laxity in adherence to dipping schedules,” he said.
Marapira noted that current cases of January Disease in Bubi are confined to 12 of the district’s 59 dip tanks, a development authorities say is manageable if strict control measures are maintained.
“To curb further spread, government has intensified continuous dipping cycles, strengthened disease surveillance and rolled out farmer awareness programmes. We are also ensuring steady supplies of acaricides across all dip tanks,” he said.
Veterinary extension officers have been deployed to monitor compliance, conduct inspections and educate farmers on the importance of collective action in disease control.
January Disease is a tick-borne illness transmitted mainly by the brown ear tick. It affects cattle of all ages and can cause high mortality rates if not detected and treated early.
Beyond animal deaths, outbreaks disrupt livelihoods, erode household incomes and threaten national food security.
Regular dipping plays a critical role in controlling tick populations, preventing the spread of tick-borne diseases such as Theileriosis, Anaplasmosis and Babesiosis as well as safeguarding beef and dairy production.
Marapira stressed that dipping was not an individual choice but a collective responsibility.
“Livestock production is a pillar of rural economies. Failure by a few farmers to dip their cattle endangers entire communities. We urge traditional leaders and local authorities to enforce compliance,” he said.
Government has in recent years stepped up interventions to protect the national herd, including procurement and distribution of acaricides countrywide, rehabilitation of dip tanks under rural development programmes and training of veterinary extension officers.
It has also strengthened public-private partnerships in vaccine research and disease monitoring and enhanced border surveillance to prevent trans-boundary livestock diseases
The livestock sector remains critical to the country’s agricultural economy, contributing significantly to household incomes, draught power and beef exports.
Experts warned that sustained outbreaks of January Disease can reverse gains made under ongoing livestock recovery and herd rebuilding programmes.
New Ziana
