The ManicaPost
Samuel Kadungure and Luthando Mapepa Farming Reporters
THE dairy revitalisation programme – which saw 99 serviced heifers being distributed to four milking centres in Manicaland – has began yielding positive results as milk production has increased by at least 50 percent in the province.
The dairy revitalisation programme was introduced through a private public partnership initiative and meant to increase milk production and reduce imports of milk and other dairy products into the country in line with provisions of Statutory Instrument 64 of 2016. Manicaland received 99 heifers purchased by Government from South Africa at a cost of not less than $1 500 which were allocated to Tsonzo Milking Centre (23), Africa University (15) all in Mutasa District, Rusitu (50) and Jobbet Farm (10) (Chipinge).
Beneficiaries pay $35, 30 per month over a period of 36 months. Importation of the heifers is being done under the dairy revitalisation programme where levies on imported dairy products are being channelled to increase the dairy herd by capacity building of small-scale milk production centres. The facility operates as a revolving fund which will see small-scale dairy farmers benefiting for the next five years.
The dairy revitalisation programme is being driven by the dairy industry as part of a five-year strategy on milk self sufficiency aimed at doubling the country’s milk production by 2020. The programme relies on improved genetics and modern animal breeding techniques to improve dairy productivity across communal, small-scale and commercial agriculture. Deputy Minister of Agriculture (Livestock), Cde Paddy Zhanda, who toured the milk centres this week, expressed satisfaction with the current levels of milk production, adding that the revitalisation programme must be closely guarded to achieve maximum production.
He also singled out for honour the role being played by the Department of Livestock Production, Department of Veterinary Services, the Zimbabwe Association of Dairy Farmers (ZADF) and Zimbabwe Dairy Industry Trust (ZDIT). “Milk is a business of volume which is unsustainable if one has two or three cows. We have to revise the template of milk centres with a view to miminise the distance farmers transport milk to the collection point. Some farmers travel with the perishable product for seven to 10 kilometres and do not have refrigeration facilities, which is costly and unsustainable. We need to pool the farmers and resources together which make the trade both cheaper and viable,” said Cde Zhanda.
“Dairy farmers in Chipinge are resilient, in 2016 they were producing 300 litres per day and the production has doubled to 600 litres and on the second day collection it will be 1 200 litres. We will render them all the support to produce 2 000 litres per day. “We applaud all stakeholders’ efforts in increasing milk production and we urge dairy farmers to continue working hard so that the country meets its national demand.
We will keep subsiding farmers through programmes like the dairy revitalisation programme and command livestock programme,” said Cde Zhanda. Cde Zhanda said Government was facilitating the importation of heifers whose funds were realised through the levying of imported heifers, while the ZADF and ZDIT identify beneficiaries of the heifers.
The dairy sector’s main target is to meet or exceed 120 million litres required by the country annually. Currently the sector is producing slightly above 60 million litres. Cde Zhanda said the heifers were put on artificial insemination using sexed semen in order to produce more dairy cows. “This will produce only cows which is important for the growth of the industry. We understand there were challenges with the first batch which resulted in farmers accruing losses and as Government we are looking at ways of compensating those farmers,” said Cde Zhanda.
Farmers were complaining of stress-related abortions by the serviced heifers, mastitis and bovine viral diarrhoea, tick-borne diseases as dipping was affected by incessant rains, among other livestock ailments. Dairy farmers were also urged to be innovative and properly manage their herd to increase milk production.
A dairy expert in Chipinge, said there were new techniques that improve health in dairy animals resulting in three-fold milk production in a given herd. “The approach utilises the identification, quantification and remediation of the energetic environment in which the animals are housed and worked. Small-scale dairy farmers in the area (Chipinge) who may be interested in a demonstration of the technique can benefit without charge for the service.
“The method improves health in important areas, including the prevention and resolution of mastitis and bovine viral diarrhoea, without the administration of drugs or the need to cull infected animals. The approach will effectively demonstrate a sustained reduction in factors adversely affecting milk quality, including a lowering of the SCC to 300 000 c/mL and below. This is a sincere effort to begin improving animal health and the quality and quantity of milk produced in the country,” said the expert who refused to be named.
Main challenges facing the dairy sector include high costs and the drivers for the high cost of production include overheads, labour, feed, heifer rearing (calf management), cow life and fertility, among others. “Heat spotting is the biggest challenge to fertility in heifers. A heifer must have a 305-day lactation (be dry 60 days). If she is only getting pregnant at 350 days she will only just be covering her feed costs. Inter-calving internal affects viability. Disease control is another issue, if disease like Foot and Mouth (FMD) gets into the dairy herd, this will have a devastating impact on the industry.
“Other disease that affect production are Bovine Viral Diarrhoea and Mastitis (maintain your Somatic Cell Counts to below 300 000),” said Mr Emmanuel Zimbandu.
Mr Zimbandu said farmers should embrace appropriate technology on farms to reduce the costs.
