Zimbabwe: Drought affects livestock in Mat South

Source: Drought affects livestock in Mat South – The Southern Eye Farmers should not hold on to their cattle until they lose value, a Matobo farmer has said. Peter Cunningham said the province would be affected by the El Nino phenomenon which had already claimed more than 91 cattle between September and November this year. Matabeleland South, particularly Matobo district, has been identified as the current hotspot of drought effects with a number of cattle having died during the dry season. Matabeleland South provincial veterinary officer Enat Mdlongwa last week said the province had experienced a surge in the death of livestock due to the dry weather. He said 91 cattle had died from starvation and some were being trapped by mud since September 2023 and the most affected wards were in Matobo. He said water sources, especially dams, were now below 50% capacity. ”As a result, most of these dams are now muddy and are trapping the cattle looking for water. Farmers are, however, ...