Farmers advised not to Iron Brand cattle
Boniface Keakabetse | Monday October 26, 2015 18:00
In Botswana, cattle are branded indiscriminately all over parts of their bodies for overall and general livestock diseases control purposes.
This is in contrast to other countries which use ear tags as way of developing their leather industry.
Zimbabwean leather tanners who are some of the leaders in Africa have advised Batswana farmers to stop using iron branding on cattle if the anticipated leather industry in Botswana is to become more viable. It was revealed that hot iron branding destroys 50% of the quality of the leather and therefore disadvantages many poor farmers from getting good prices for their leather.
”With the three million cattle stock that you have in Botswana, you need to be aware that 50% of its quality has already been killed by branding, a leather expert at Superior Group in Zimbabwe told Mmegi on the side lines of a recent tour by the Ngamiland communities of the Zimbabwe tanneries., Superior Group chairman, Andrew Lawson, advised Batswana farmers to stop branding their cattle with hot irons as they would not get good prices for their leather.
He advised that setting up a leather industry calls for more than rhetoric but also the promotion of good animal husbandry activities within the farming community. He shared that setting up a viable leather and allied manufacturing sector calls for machinery to be set up, hides collection modalities and also education of the local farmers on how to take care of their animals.
He revealed that a viable leather sector can also be realised by ensuring that farmers get incentives for taking care of their cattle when they sell their hides.
The superior footwear group of companies was founded in 1967, initially dedicated to production of high quality fashion footwear for ladies. The group however over the years developed into a fully integrated leather and footwear conglomerate.
The tour participants learnt that in Zimbabwe hides are procured for tanning directly from the cattle industry including butcheries, abattoirs and bovine and game industries.
The Botswana contingent was also awed by how the tanneries even got to the extent of tanning fish and crocodile skins.
It was revealed that game hides are sourced from Zimbabwean parks and from wildlife culling, professional hunting and natural deaths but are subjected to government licensing requirements.
Mokadi Masedi of Habu Development Trust said they learnt valuable lessons from the tour revealing that some of these lessons will be replicated at their communities. He said some of the lessons they learnt are the type of the machinery needed to set up a tannery and ways of value addition to hides.
Masedi also revealed that contrary to beliefs in Botswana, the leather sector is not for the poor as it encapsulates professionals from all the divide including artisans and chemical scientists.
Masedi also reiterated that the leather sector is more diversified and it is important for the communities and individuals wanting to venture in to it to identify their niche.