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LIVESTOCK farmers with big herds of cattle should heed calls for them to de-stock, to cut losses from the El Nino-induced drought that has destroyed pastures.

Our sister paper, The Herald reported yesterday that the permanent secretary in the Ministry of Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries Water and Rural Development, Professor Obert Jiri told senators that farmers had several options to reduce their herds. 

He said they could either sell the beasts, or move them to other areas and preserve value.

Professor Obert Jiri

Prof Jiri said it was futile for livestock farmers, particularly in southern parts of the country such as Matabeleland South and Masvingo provinces, to continue holding onto huge stocks of their cattle,when the country had not received enough rains to sustain pastures.

“On livestock, we urge farmers to cull them, they should either sell or move them to other areas. That is what we are encouraging them to do. While the Government is mobilising resources to mitigate the effects, at times the cattle might die before intervention measures are implemented,” said Prof Jiri.

This will also protect livestock farmers from unscrupulous cattle buyers, who use drought seasons to buy cattle for a song.

Livestock farmers should not wait until it’s too late, when their cattle start dying before they de-stock, as this is the time that the opportunists strike.

In the past, unscrupulous cattle buyers would take advantage of the farmers’ plight to buy cattle for as little as $100 while some offered them bags of maize in exchange for livestock. 

Against this background, it is important to de-stock early before the situation gets worse and vultures start circling to buy their livestock for a song.

Traditional leaders are also urged to carry this message to villagers so that they do not suffer losses from the drought and opportunistic cattle buyers

They should, instead, de-stock while their animals are still strong and healthy, so that they get value for their livestock.

That way, they can either invest the money or keep it so that they can re-stock after the drought season.