Makueni County Government will from next Monday vaccinate 21,000 heads of cattle against lumpy skin and foot and mouth diseases in six hotspot areas across the county.
The vaccination follows an outbreak of the two diseases early February following which the county government declared a quarantine on livestock movement to and out of the region on February 14, to contain the diseases.
Addressing the press today when he flagged off the vaccines at Wote, area Agriculture and Livestock Executive Robert Kisyula said the exercise will be carried out in Makindu, Kikumbulyu North, Mtito Andei and Kalawa.
Kisyula said the vaccination is a continuation of an earlier exercise that started last year but was halted due to lack of vaccines at the Kenya Veterinary Vaccines Production Institute in Kabete.
“There was a shortage of vaccines especially for the foot and mouth disease. When the shortage hit us, we had vaccinated 33,353 heads of cattle across the county. Now that we have enough supplies the vaccination will continue for the whole of next week,” he said.
He noted that besides lack of vaccines, the heavy rains experienced in the county from last year accelerated the spread of lumpy skin disease.
He urged farmers to cooperate with the officers carrying out the exercise and avail their animals for vaccination at the designated areas.
“We are using chiefs and their assistants to disseminate information on the exercise. We call on farmers to desist from being misled by unscrupulous people and instead seek information from the department,” he added.
Kisyula noted that the quarantine will be reviewed two weeks after the vaccination exercise is over.
By Patrick Nyakundi and Roselyne Kavoo
