Resilience of smallholder farmers is adversely affected by environmental and socio-economic shocks such as climate change, hyperinflation and diseases. Five districts within the Zimbabwe Resilience Building Fund Programme implemented between 2019 and 2021 were categorised into three consortia: ECRAS (Chiredzi and Mwenezi), ECRIMS (Mberengwa) and PROGRESS (Beitbridge and Nyanga). The consortia were purposively studied to understand how livestock contributes to building resilience of smallholder farmers against four shocks namely drought, low livestock prices, livestock deaths due to diseases and livestock theft. Quantitative and qualitative data obtained through questionnaires, key informant interviews and focus group discussions collected during three rounds of the Outcome and Monitoring Surveys of all consortia was used. Livestock numbers and sales, livestock practices and total cash sales from livestock products were analysed against the Resilience Index weighted with the four shocks as covariates to establish linear relationships. Results revealed that when faced with these shocks, farmers used livestock as the first attempt to achieve resilience. Total cash sources from livestock products sales significantly (P < 0.05) contributed towards building resilience under drought in all consortia from 2019 to 2021. In 2021, in ECRAS and ECRIMS, farmers who owned cattle, pigs, sheep and goats and poultry significantly (P < 0.05) achieved resilience. However, in 2019, when farmers in ECRAS and ECRIMS were faced with low market prices and livestock diseases, livestock sales alone could not significantly (P > 0.05) achieve resilience. Other non-livestock sources of income were used. Strategies aimed at improving livestock production during shocks can further increase resilience of smallholder farmers.