A veterinary official in the area, Lovemore Dube, told The Zimbabwean that the most affected areas are Nyamandlovu, Nkayi and Lupane.
“Farmers should be cautious of tick-borne diseases. We are encouraging farmers to regularly dip their cattle,” said Dube.
Dube said during the Christmas period, a farmer in Nyamandlovu’s Hilltop area lost five cattle due to heartwater.
“The brain samples we took from the carcasses showed that the cattle died from heartwater. We are urging farmers to stock adequate drugs such as tetracycline,” he said.
Dube said most cattle in Matabeleland were susceptible to the disease because of low immune systems due to the recent drought. Heartwater is a common disease transmitted by ticks.
In Zimbabwe, the disease affects cattle, sheep and goats and is common in the southern Lowveld. Signs of infection appear 10 to 14 days following tick bite and the onset is acute.
Post published in: News