Cattle rustling on the rise in Matutuíne – Noticias

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Cattle rustling on the rise in Matutuíne – Noticias

3:14 CAT | 27 May 2020

File photo: Noticias

A group of criminals still at large stole 19 head of cattle last Saturday night, in Catuane, Matutuíne district, Maputo province.

According to Valter Muianga, head of Catuane administrative post, the cattle were stolen from Oga Rural, a cattle breeding firm. Muianga said that eight of the bovines were recovered, and that investigations are currently underway with a view to locating the rest and apprehending the miscreants involved.

Matutuíne administrator Artur Muandula said that the episode signalled the resurgence of a practice which had been stopped in March, but gave assurances that police authorities, breeders’ associations and the community already had teams on the ground following up clues to secure the recovery of the stolen cattle and hold the thieves criminally accountable.

The Matutuíne administrator explained that, from January to March this year, the district recorded the theft of 67 head of cattle at the administrative post in Zitundo, of which 22 were recovered. By contrast, the district had from March onwards enjoyed a climate of relative tranquillity and security.

Police authorities, in coordination with cattle breeders and the community, are devising strategies to strengthen surveillance and stop the crime wave.

These measures, Muandula detailed, include the registration of all animals, tagging, the regulation of slaughter days under veterinary inspection, and monitoring by the District Services for Economic Activities (SDAE).

Its favourable drought-resilient pastures make Matutuíne a major producer of cattle, and the district is currently home to 69,261 head of cattle, 83,200 goats, 8,550 sheep and 12,649 pigs.

Two South African cattle farming companies operate in Catuane, with the focus on high-quality breeds like Brahman cattle and four cross-breeds – Gir, Nelore, Guzerá and Krishna Valley.

Farmers are investing in the Brahman breed because it is resistant to high and low temperatures, and its skin is inimical to parasites like ticks and others.

Source: Noticias