Farmers in Kabbe South in the Zambezi Region have suffered massive stock losses due to pasteurella, a respiratory disease.

Framers, particularly those from the Ikaba area of Zambezi Region, feel let down by the Directorate of Veterinary Services.

Farmers lost close to 260 cattle to pastereulla in recent times.

During a field trip to Ikaba, farmers we spoke to said they were left hopeless due to the outbreak.

Kakambi Mbeha, a farmer in the Ikaba area, said, "We have one farmer who lost 62, another 9 (which is me), another 22, another 4, another 5, and there is an old man who lost 99, and there is another who lost 21, and another one lost 36. These are only eight individuals, and they have lost a total of 258. Imagine the flood plain here. We have villages with three or four kraals. We are just talking about individuals with one kraal each, and we have around 86 villages in the Ikaba area alone."

The Ministry of Agriculture, Deputy Director: Public Relations, Chrispin Matongela, explained that the cattle are dying as a result of pastereulla, an opportunistic bacterium of the upper airways that then descends to the lungs and causes infection.

He also stated that farmers were engaged and advised to vaccinate their cattle. However, Mbeha differs.

"We vaccinated our animals against pastereulla. Sometimes when you call them, they will tell you to try; maybe it is black quarter. We tried. Another thing that is worrisome is that we heard they used a new vaccine that they had never used before. The one for FMD We want them to confirm it for us. Why is it that our area here is a ground for trials? This is where they come to try a new medicine."

Other farmers echoed Mbeha's views and stated that they have never seen veterinary officials visit their area to assess the situation.