A COUNTY Durham vet is heading to Africa to take part in an innovative project to help smallholders in Mozambique care for their cattle.

Richard Matthews, farm director at Castle Vets, in Barnard Castle, will spend two weeks working as part of Farmskills Africa, a project run by an Amercian charity, Land O'Lakes.

It is the first time Mr Matthews has taken part in the project, although a link between the XL Vets group – of which Castle Vets is part – and Mozambique was first forged three years ago.

“This particular project has been bringing cows from South Africa and giving them to smallholders in Mozambique,” explained Mr Matthews.

“They are dairy cattle and the smallholders keep half the milk and half goes to the project.

“Their first heifer has to be given back to the project, with others kept by the farmer.”

Mr Matthews, 49, a father-of-three from Cotherstone, said he would be based in Chimoio, Mozambique's fourth largest city, and had a busy itinerary lined up for the duration of his visit.

“I will not be treating individual cows but instructing groups of smallholders in the care and how to look after calves.

“It will involve basic veterinary care. Some of the diseases they experience are the same as those found here, but some are tropical and quite different.”