12 Dec 2013

An estimated 580 000 cattle died on account of drought and diseases other than Foot and Mouth Disease over the last five financial years to the end of March this year.

Answering a question in parliament assistant minister of Agriculture, Mr Oreeditse Molebatsi said Shoshong constituency had an estimated mortality of 41 000 cattle over the same five year period. He said 640 561 cattle were sold to the Botswana Meat Commission (BMC) while 369 503 were sold to butcheries during the same period.

Mr Molebatsi said 35 812 cattle from Shoshong constituency were sold to BMC while 23 875 cattle were sold to butcheries. Clearly a mortality of 580 000 which is an annual rate of up to 6 per cent is high and constitutes a loss to the livestock industry,” the assistant minister said.

He further said 90 per cent of cattle was in communal areas where stocking rates are difficult to control.Mr Molebatsi said his ministry continues to advise farmers to practice modern farming systems such as weaner production and feed lots.

Shoshong MP Dikgang Makgalemele had asked the minister to state the number of cattle that died due to drought and different diseases other than foot and mouth at the national and shoshong constituency levels respectively over the last five financial years to the end of March 2013.

He further wanted to know the number of cattle sold to the BMC or butcheries over the same period, the ministry’s assessment of the figures and new strategies his ministry deploys in encouraging the farming community to sell cattle at the right age. ENDS