COUNCIL ACTS TO PROTECT LIVESTOCK
CHISAMBA District Council is constructing three dip tanks to protect livestock from tick borne related diseases.
Council chairperson, Felix Choongo said in an interview that the dip tanks were being constructed in Musuwishi, Mutenga and Chamuka wards to enable the district realise its vision of increasing livestock population.
Mr Choongo observed that the dipping facilities would be constructed with money from the Constituency Development Fund (CDF).
He said the district which currently had about 89,000 herds of cattle have few dip tanks and this has resulted in a lose of animals.
“We are constructing three dip tanks in Musuwishi, Mutenga and Chamuka wards to realise the district’s vision in terms of animal population. We have about 89,000 herds of cattle with a few dipping facilities,” said Mr Choongo.
He said most of the dip tanks in the district were in the hands of the white community and people didn’t have access to them,” said Mr Choongo.
Mr Choongo said people had since risen to the challenge and were putting up their own dipping facilities with the district administration through veterinary department providing technical support and materials.
Mr Choongo said the local authority had also partnered with Musika Developed Initiative Zambia who were putting up spray races which was a new dipping technology and had already installed one in Mwantaya ward.
He said the council was planning to lobby for more spray races from Musika to be installed in other wards adding that if that happened, the battle against ticks would be won in the district.
“We are working hand in hand with Musika who are putting up spray races a new dipping technology and have already put up one in Mwantaya ward which is operational,” said Mr Choongo.