Maswa set to brand over 40,000 heads of cattle

Simiyu. Plans are afoot for Maswa District to brand at least 44,732 heads of cattle in all 36 wards in adherence of the government’s directive.

The branding is meant for easy identification, registration and monitoring of the animals.

This is in accordance with law No. 12/2010 on identification and registry, and Prime Minister Mr Kassim Majaliwa also stressed on the importance of livestock branding recently.

On Sunday, Acting Maswa District Executive Director Mr Ally Mubaraka made the remark when speaking to journalists who were curious about the exercise.

He said the move was meant to identify and monitor the cattle owners.

“The branding of animals will not be complicated, but the animals will have different marks depending on where their owners come from,” he said.

He urged the pastoralists to turn up in big numbers for the exercise because there would be no other time until when the council sees the need.

“The livestock officers should try to raise awareness over the importance of this exercise to the pastoralists,” he urged.

According to the veterinary officer in Maswa District, Dr Ephraim Lema, the aim for branding is to control the animals from diseases, banditry and improve the quality of meat products.

“Calves will also be branded just like mature animals. So, all pastoralists will be required to pay as little as Sh500 for branding,” he said.

He assured that the move was not meant to waste the pastoralists’ time, but was one of the ways of establishing new and modern methods of livestock keeping, adding that a similar exercise will be conducted in other parts of the country.