Zimbabwe calving rate at 45% instead of 80%, says Zhanda

Deputy Minister of Agriculture responsible for Livestock Paddy Zhanda has said Zimbabwe  has a  problem that cows that it have are not calving because a calf is supposed to calve every year.

"Our national calving rate is around 44% to 45% instead of 80%, which means that out of our 10 cows, eight are supposed to calve every year.  That is what is recommended," he said.

"The level of calving has gone down.  For cows to calve, there are two things that would need to be done; we need to see the genetic blood line, how old it is and how attractive is it.  It means that it has low fertility if it does not look strong."

He said furthermore, the other issue could be the ratio of bulls will not be sufficient or good.

"We are looking into that issue so that that knowledge is given to the farmers because we might even have Senators in this august House who first have their tea and then release the cattle around 10.00 a.m. and then they are penned again around 4.00 p.m.  So, such a cow is useless.  It will not calve.  Then there is also the issue of pasture development," he said.

"There has not been any development in pastures.  Our cattle are grazing all over.  We should have a communal grazing system and they then rotate the areas where they will be grazing so that there are sufficient pastures."

Zhanda said in terms of genetics, they are using artificial insemination introducing other bulls and they would also be introducing good genetics.

"Also, we are discouraging inbreeding because that idea of having a calf being sired by a bull and that bull goes on to sire with the same cow and the next calf of that cow.  It is not good.  As blacks, we do not see cattle ranching as a business and we are not very careful about the way we treat our cattle.  So, we are trying to educate our farmers so that they appreciate the importance of cattle," he said.