The department of veterinary services in Murang’a has commenced a mass vaccination of cattle following an outbreak of lumpy skin disease in some parts of the county.
The county veterinary officer Dr. William Mwangi observed that the exercise which will be carried out in all the nine sub counties from January 16 will also include vaccination of dogs against rabies.
He stated that in Gitugi ward of Mathioya Sub County, cases of lumpy skin disease have been reported in the recent past prompting the county government to vaccinate all cows in the county.
The officer observed that other diseases which will be vaccinated against include foot and mouth, anthrax, and black quarter. He said the only best way for farmers to ensure their animals are safe from diseases is to vaccinate them.
“Some of these diseases are untreatable and farmers should take advantage of the mass vaccination exercise to ensure their animals are healthy. Since the baiting of stray dogs was stopped some years back, the only way to save them from rabies is through vaccination.” Mwangi said.
Mwangi in a press briefing in his office on Monday explained that both government and private veterinary officers have been deployed to every ward for the exercise and asked farmers to allow the officers to vaccinate their animals in their homes.
“The veterinary officers will be visiting homes to vaccinate the animals. The charges have been subsidized by the county government where vaccination for a cow will cost Sh200 and a dog Sh100.
“The diseases are viral apart from anthrax and can easily kill our animals and we call upon the farmers to ensure their animals are vaccinated during the ongoing exercise,” explained the Veterinary officer.
In parts of Ithanga Sub County, Mwangi added there have been cases of foot and mouth disease attributing the problem to influx of livestock from neighbouring counties.
“There is a need to control the influx of unvaccinated livestock in our county. Since after vaccination a farmer is issued with a certificate, let those bringing their livestock in the county produce a certificate of vaccination,” he averred.
Meanwhile, the officer urged farmers to get correct information about the disease and the vaccination from veterinary officers and avoid misinformation about the status of the diseases in the county.
“Some people are peddling lies that herds of cattle have died due to the diseases. Let farmers get correct information from veterinary officers who are deployed in all sub counties. “The situation is well controlled and we have not lost cattle in the county due to the diseases,” he asserted.
By Bernard Munyao
