Carmen Stubbs (1935-2025)

“These Mashona animals are my passion and Zimbabwe's heritage."

With the news of the passing of Carmen Stubbs on Monday, 17 March 2025, came an outpouring of tributes from across Zimbabwe's cattle producing community. For over six decades, Carmen dedicated her life to the conservation and advancement of our very own indigenous Sanga Mashona cattle breed, leaving behind what one fellow breeder aptly called a "library" of knowledge.

A lifetime with cattle

Born in South Africa, Carmen's connection with cattle began in her earliest years. As a toddler, she would spend days perched on her father's shoulders at their dairy farm, absorbing knowledge about cattle management. This childhood experience kindled a passion that would define her life's work.

In 1960, Carmen married CONEX (today known as AGRITEX) Animal Husbandry Officer Tony Stubbs.

In November 1963, her lifelong love affair with the Mashona cattle breed began when she purchased 16 cows, one heifer and a bull in Masvingo, from Mr. A McLeod, a former Natural Resources Board Director. With the establishment of her Fertyline Mashona Stud, Carmen worked alongside Madala, her experienced cattle herder and built her herd while balancing the demands of a growing family. Her children inherited her love for the Mashona breed, known for its fertility, hardiness, docility, mothering abilities and exceptional productivity.

Carmen's journey was marked by persistence in overcoming significant barriers. When her first bull died after being requisitioned by another farmer, she boldly secured a bank loan by putting her remaining herd up as collateral, a remarkable feat in pre-Independence Zimbabwe, where women needed written permission from their husbands for such transactions.

After Tony's transfer to Harare, Carmen made another breakthrough when the Agricultural Finance Corporation granted her a farm in her own name, a first for a woman in Zimbabwe. Following the tragedy of Tony's sudden death in 1985, rather than "selling up and moving to town," Carmen and her three children remained on the farm, determined to continue the legacy they had built together. This took enormous fortitude and courage - qualities Carmen remained known and admired for throughout her life.

Champion of indigenous genetics

At a time when the prevailing wisdom favoured introducing exotic genes to improve the national herd, Carmen stood firmly against this trend, dedicating her life to the conservation and improvement of Zimbabwe's indigenous Mashona cattle.

Alongside the late Keith Harvey and others, she campaigned to conserve the genetic integrity of the indigenous Mashona breed. Working with Makaholi Research Station, Carmen implemented performance testing and recording to scientifically demonstrate the genetic improvements achieved through selective breeding.

Her efforts gained validation when her Mashona bull commanded the top price at the 1978 Mashona Bull Sale, setting a new national record. Later research at Matopos Station further confirmed her position, proving that Mashona cattle, a smaller, Sanga breed, outperformed 23 cow genotypes breeds in beef production per cow body weight.

Accolades and advocacy

In 1987, Carmen was awarded the prestigious "Cattleman of the Year" title, insisting that it should not be changed to "Cattlewoman of the Year." The prize included an educational trip to the United States to visit premier cattle enterprises. She returned more convinced than ever of the Mashona breed's superiority for Zimbabwe's conditions.

Carmen's advocacy and vision extended beyond her farm. She was one of nine founding members of the "Indibreed" group breeding project, which she described as an initiative where "progressive breeders combined their genetic and managerial resources in a nucleus herd to hasten genetic progress and transfer animals between cooperating Breeder herds and the rural cattle population." This innovative approach recognised that "the communal herd contained a large pool of indigenous animals which could improve in performance.

The Indibreed Group Breeding Programme was established in 1990 to promote genetic improvement of indigenous cattle throughout Zimbabwe.

Supplying a wide range of farmers with improved breeding heifers, her contributions to the broader farming community also included sourcing 180 heifers for Plan International's program of distributing cattle to women in rural areas.

Her dedication to mentorship was evident in her work with "aspiring cattlemen, students doing their practical work - especially women students." Carmen's service on the Wensleydale Trust board in Headlands further demonstrated her commitment to encouraging "farmers to breed indigenous cattle," while being "instrumental in getting women farmers to attend at Wensleydale."

She also founded a Women's Cattle Discussion Group in her community, expanding access to knowledge and resources.

During the challenging period following Zimbabwe's land reform in the 2000s, Carmen was at one stage, the country's sole Mashona Stud Breeder, flying the Mashona cattle flag and fighting to continue to conserve and upgrade the nation's cattle genetic heritage when breed numbers were in decline.

At this stage of her life, she remained steadfast in her mission. Even when forced to downsize her breeding herd and even introduce multi-sire mating, her concern was not for herself but for the legacy of her work, at the time saying: "This herd will be 50 years old in November this year (2013)  - are we going to lose all this momentum, all the recording of the animals?"

A legacy that lives on

By the time she celebrated her 90th birthday and 62 years of stud breeding, Carmen had witnessed the resurgence of interest in indigenous breeds. The Mashona Cattle Society, now under the leadership of Maree Osborne, has grown to include ten registered breeders, with increasing recognition of the breed's economic and environmental advantages locally, regionally and internationally.

Carmen's son Mark continues the Fertyline legacy, having recently been elected Chairman of the Mashona Cattle Society and building on his mother's dedication to Zimbabwe's agricultural heritage. Her impact extends far beyond her own herd; her cell phone constantly rang with inquiries from farmers seeking to upgrade their herds with good Mashona genetics.

Until the end, Carmen remained a source of advice, with Maree Osborne affectionately remembering this: “When I visited Carmen, I always came away with a wealth of of knowledge, feeling inspired. She's a great talker and had a mind like a steel trap. On a visit to Carmen shortly before she passed, she still gave good advice and we spoke the same language with mombes. She was always interesting and interested and was a shrewd observer of personality. She kept all the Mashona history which is great and she lived and breathed it and I am so grateful to have had her in my life. Her legacy will live on.”

Carmen Stubbs will be remembered for her sense of humour, courage, friendship, and unwavering support of the Zimbabwe Herd Book. Most significantly, she leaves behind the acceptance of the Mashona’s importance in a more resilient national herd which is better adapted to face the challenges of climate change and disease.

Her legacy as a guardian of Zimbabwe's Mashona cattle endures.