A family in Emsea Sub-location, Keiyo South Constituency, is counting heavy losses after losing 14 cattle to black quarter disease in a span of two days.
Jeremiah Chirchir, the owner of the livestock, said the tragedy began last Sunday when his cattle strayed and went missing. “They disappeared on Sunday evening, and by Monday morning, we started searching for them. We traced them to Emsea but found four of them dead,” he recounted.
Chirchir described the shock and confusion the family faced upon discovering the first dead animals. “We asked ourselves what could have happened, but there was no clear explanation. We only found the four dead,” he added.
The following day, the family resumed their search, only to find the remaining 10 cattle dead. “It was a heartbreaking moment. I immediately called the veterinary officers who came and took samples for testing,” said Chirchir.
According to the veterinary report released on Friday, the cattle succumbed to black quarter disease, a highly infectious bacterial disease affecting cattle. The report further indicated that only Chirchir’s livestock were affected, while other herds in the area remained healthy.
The devastating loss leaves Chirchir with just four cows. He expressed his frustrations, saying he had planned to sell some of the cattle to raise school fees for his children and to fund farming activities as the planting season begins. “This is a huge setback for me. I was relying on these animals to sustain my family and prepare for the planting season,” he lamented.
Jonathan Chirchir, a family member, also highlighted the extent of the loss, estimating the value of the dead animals to be nearly half a million shillings. “If we had sold the cows, we could have raised a significant amount. Now, we’re left with nothing,” he said.
The family is now appealing for assistance from the government and well-wishers as they try to recover from the unexpected loss. “We have never experienced something like this before. We don’t know how it happened, but we need help to get back on our feet,” Jeremiah Chirchir pleaded.
Veterinary officers have since advised farmers in the area to vaccinate their cattle to prevent further outbreaks of black quarter disease.
By Rennish Okong’o
