The veterinary services department in Wajir has started treating livestock against the highly contagious caprine pleuropneumonia disease.
CCPP, which affects the respiratory tract, mostly affects goats. However, county director of veterinary services George Kiprono said there are worries that sheep too might be infected because they graze together with goats.
“Despite the significance of goat rearing in improving pastoralist livelihoods, numerous challenges hamper their production, mainly diseases, and that is why we want to treat the animals before it's too late,” Kiprono said.
Sheep and goats play an important role in supporting the livelihoods of livestock keepers in Kenya, particularly among pastoralists in the country’s arid and semi-arid lands.
According to the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics Economic Survey report of 2015, marketed production of livestock and their products increased due to an increase in sheep and goats sold to abattoirs.
In May 2016, 101 farmers in the region were trained on common diseases that affect goats and sheep. Private animal health technicians were also trained on commonly used drugs, practical training sessions on vaccine administration for goats and sheep and variations of vaccines and doses administered per species.
The county government was also required to boost the surveillance capacity of Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries staff.
Meanwhile, pastoralists from the region have been advised to start selling their livestock to avoid losing them during the looming drought season.
Kenya Livestock Marketing Council chairman Dubat Amey said on Monday indications are that drought is imminent in the coming weeks, hence the need to start preparing early.
The October-December weather forecast for short rains indicates that counties in Eastern and Northeastern will receive below-average rainfall.
The National Drought and Management Authority has already issued an alert over the deterioration in livestock body condition and milk production compared to July and August.
Edited by A.N
