Samuel Kadungure Senior Reporter
FOURTEEN cattle valued at $25 000, last week, died of suspected hydrogen cyanide following spillage of the poisonous effluent from a gold purification tank into pastures and water sources frequented by the animals.
The cattle belonged to Mr Fungai Munyama, of Plot Number 7, Greater Sisal, in Mutasa district.
The spillage is suspected to have emanated from Newco Mining, which mines gold, whose processing uses cyanide.
The cattle allegedly died after drinking water laced with suspected cyanide effluent that had spilled from an upland tank into the grazing pastures following heavy rains that pounded the area the previous night.
The Provincial Veterinary Officer (PVO) Manicaland Dr Charles Guri confirmed the cattle deaths adding that they have since buried the carcases underground as they had no firewood to burn them.
Dr Guri said they collected samples for forensic laboratory tests to establish the levels of cyanide. The Environmental Management Agency (EMA) has also collected water samples to conduct their own tests, as investigations by police into the matter continue.
“It is true that 14 cattle died of suspected cyanide poisoning. We suspect a spillage of effluent from a tank, used for gold purification, at the source into the pastures and streams could have caused this. All the cattle died from a common place and we have collected some samples to ascertain the actual cause of death,” said Dr Guri.
Dr Guri said cyanide exerts its primary toxicological effects by binding and impairing enzyme and cell function, thereby preventing body tissues from using oxygen.
Dr Guri added that the reduction in oxygen causes tissue damage throughout the animal body, with the most vulnerable tissues being those with high oxygen demands and a deficiency in detoxifying enzymes.
Although the entire body is affected by cyanide exposure, adverse effects on the central nervous system are of the most consequence to the organism because of the high metabolic demand for oxygen in neurons and its control of respiratory function.
Mr Munyama was struggling to come to terms with the loss.
He said his worker only realised something was wrong when the cattle started showing signs of painful convulsions, frothing, bellowing and staggering around before collapsing and dying.
He described the incident as a major blow to his cattle breeding venture.
Mr Munyama, who had 31 cattle, was breeding cross breeds at the farm.
He said the entire herd could have been wiped, but was lucky that some cattle were given anti-dot and survived.
“It is a tragic and impromptu loss that is difficult to come to terms with. I had 31 Brahman and Red den breeds. The herd boy noticed that something was wrong when the cattle started convulsing and bellowing with a painful episode ending in several cattle deaths. In total, 14 cattle, valued at $25 000 cattle died of the cyanide poisoning,” he said.
Mr Munyama said it is not clear what caused the pastures and water to have cyanide, but it warranted an investigation.