Zimbabwe lost more than 55 000 cattle to tick-borne in 2017 and the figure had risen to 500 000 by the year 2020.
This was revealed by the Permanent Secretary for the Ministry of Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Resettlement, John Basera.
He was speaking during the official launch of the Zimbabwe Tick and Tick-borne Disease Control Strategy in Harare on Thursday.
Bhasera said it is critical to safeguarded animal health as livestock are a major source of livelihood for smallholder farmers. He said:
Livestock production is a key enabler in crop production, especially in the communal smallholder sector, where more than 80 per cent of tillage comes from livestock.
Livestock is also a major source of livelihood and serves as a reliable safety net against climate change-induced shocks such as drought, flooding and other natural disasters that affect vulnerable households living in marginal areas.
A safeguarded animal health situation is a prerequisite for increased livestock productivity and safe trade in animal and animal products.