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Zimbabwe's beef output rises 5.1% in 2024
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Zimbabwe produced 94,600 tonnes of beef in 2024, a 5.1 percent increase from 90,000 tonnes in 2023, driven by drought-induced emergency destocking and a steadily growing national herd, according to the Ministry of Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development's second Crops, Livestock and Fisheries Assessment (Clafa-2) for the 2024/2025 season.
The Clafa-2 report, released this week, shows that 393,769 cattle were slaughtered in registered abattoirs, up from around 360,000 the previous year. Total offtake - including informal slaughters - reached 531,588 head, a rise from 495,974 in 2023.
Significant increases were recorded across all slaughter categories, with steers and oxen up four percent, bulls by three percent, and female animals - heifers and cows - showing the most pronounced rise at 17 percent, from 105,000 head in 2023 to 123,000 in 2024. This jump follows a Government advisory urging communal farmers to destock in anticipation of severe pasture shortages.
"We had no choice," said Lydia Chikomo, a communal farmer in Marondera. "Our grazing had failed by November. The advisory to destock saved many of us from losing everything."
Livestock extension officer Tendai Moyo from Mudzi District noted that many communal herders were forced to sell animals before they reached peak condition. "The only viable market was the abattoir," he said. "That lifted offtake but came with losses in animal weight and potential value."
Despite the increase in slaughter, Zimbabwe's breeding herd continued to expand, growing to 5.74 million cattle in 2024 from 5.71 million in 2023. Experts attribute this to the strong 2022/2023 rainfall season, which resulted in high maize and sorghum yields and improved feed availability.
Dr Grace Ncube, an agricultural economist with the University of Zimbabwe, said, "More crop residues helped communal and small-scale farmers maintain their herds during the dry season, boosting fertility and survival into 2024."
Communal areas remain the backbone of Zimbabwe's cattle industry, holding over 64 percent of the national herd. Provinces such as Masvingo and Midlands have the largest share.
The breeding herd - cows, heifers, and bulls - now comprises 63 percent of all beef cattle, totaling about 3.6 million head. However, the report raised red flags over herd productivity. The national calving rate dropped to 34.6 percent from 42 percent in 2023, with calf mortality at 18 percent. This was linked to issues such as low bull-to-cow ratios, unregulated mating, and the use of breeding females for draught power.
Clafa-2 data shows that oxen account for 40 percent of draught power, while cows and heifers contribute 53 percent, and bulls 7 percent - a situation that undermines breeding potential.
While most districts enjoyed adequate grazing for seven to ten months, others - including Tsholotsho, Beitbridge, Chikomba, Mutoko, and Hwange - experienced shortages lasting one to three months, likely leading to distress sales and further erosion of herd quality.
Ownership patterns also reflect communal dominance. Only one percent of cattle are on large-scale commercial farms, with the rest distributed across A1 and A2 resettlement, small-scale commercial, and old resettlement schemes.
To address these challenges, Clafa-2 recommends interventions such as community bull schemes, controlled mating, bull fertility testing, improved veterinary services, and targeted feed supplementation in drought-prone areas. The report also calls for better extension support for record-keeping and market access.
With domestic beef consumption at just six kilograms per capita annually, Zimbabwe has room to expand exports, particularly within the SADC region. However, success will depend on investments in abattoir standards, cold-chain infrastructure, and traceability systems.
"The challenge now is to convert this temporary surge into sustainable growth," said Dr Ncube. "If Zimbabwe can improve herd quality, strengthen communal production systems, and open new markets, the beef sector could become a major engine of rural development and export earnings."
The Clafa-2 report, released this week, shows that 393,769 cattle were slaughtered in registered abattoirs, up from around 360,000 the previous year. Total offtake - including informal slaughters - reached 531,588 head, a rise from 495,974 in 2023.
Significant increases were recorded across all slaughter categories, with steers and oxen up four percent, bulls by three percent, and female animals - heifers and cows - showing the most pronounced rise at 17 percent, from 105,000 head in 2023 to 123,000 in 2024. This jump follows a Government advisory urging communal farmers to destock in anticipation of severe pasture shortages.
"We had no choice," said Lydia Chikomo, a communal farmer in Marondera. "Our grazing had failed by November. The advisory to destock saved many of us from losing everything."
Livestock extension officer Tendai Moyo from Mudzi District noted that many communal herders were forced to sell animals before they reached peak condition. "The only viable market was the abattoir," he said. "That lifted offtake but came with losses in animal weight and potential value."
Despite the increase in slaughter, Zimbabwe's breeding herd continued to expand, growing to 5.74 million cattle in 2024 from 5.71 million in 2023. Experts attribute this to the strong 2022/2023 rainfall season, which resulted in high maize and sorghum yields and improved feed availability.
Dr Grace Ncube, an agricultural economist with the University of Zimbabwe, said, "More crop residues helped communal and small-scale farmers maintain their herds during the dry season, boosting fertility and survival into 2024."
The breeding herd - cows, heifers, and bulls - now comprises 63 percent of all beef cattle, totaling about 3.6 million head. However, the report raised red flags over herd productivity. The national calving rate dropped to 34.6 percent from 42 percent in 2023, with calf mortality at 18 percent. This was linked to issues such as low bull-to-cow ratios, unregulated mating, and the use of breeding females for draught power.
Clafa-2 data shows that oxen account for 40 percent of draught power, while cows and heifers contribute 53 percent, and bulls 7 percent - a situation that undermines breeding potential.
While most districts enjoyed adequate grazing for seven to ten months, others - including Tsholotsho, Beitbridge, Chikomba, Mutoko, and Hwange - experienced shortages lasting one to three months, likely leading to distress sales and further erosion of herd quality.
Ownership patterns also reflect communal dominance. Only one percent of cattle are on large-scale commercial farms, with the rest distributed across A1 and A2 resettlement, small-scale commercial, and old resettlement schemes.
To address these challenges, Clafa-2 recommends interventions such as community bull schemes, controlled mating, bull fertility testing, improved veterinary services, and targeted feed supplementation in drought-prone areas. The report also calls for better extension support for record-keeping and market access.
With domestic beef consumption at just six kilograms per capita annually, Zimbabwe has room to expand exports, particularly within the SADC region. However, success will depend on investments in abattoir standards, cold-chain infrastructure, and traceability systems.
"The challenge now is to convert this temporary surge into sustainable growth," said Dr Ncube. "If Zimbabwe can improve herd quality, strengthen communal production systems, and open new markets, the beef sector could become a major engine of rural development and export earnings."
Source - zimpapers
